§ 11. Lieut.-Commander BOWERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what authority at the Admiralty decides whether documents placed before the board shall be destroyed or kept for record?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLThe decision whether Admiralty documents should be weeded or transferred to the Public Record Office as permanent records is governed by office rules based on the "Schedules for the destruction of valueless documents" issued from time to time by the Master of the Rolls pursuant to the Public Record Office Act, 1877. Any case of doubt under these rules is submitted to the Permanent Secretary, who decides it or refers to higher authority if necessary. Documents placed before meetings of the full board are in all cases kept for record.