§ LORD CACCIAMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are now able to anounce their plans for meeting the long-term needs for search room and storage accommodation in the Public Record Office.]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD GARDINER)My Lords, approval has been given in principle to the erection of a second Public Record Office on a site owned by the Crown in Ruskin Avenue, Kew. It is hoped that the first stage of the building will be completed in the mid- 1970s. When the building is finished it will provide accommodation for 750 readers a day, and the 360,000 feet of additional storage accommodation which it is estimated will be required by the end of the century.
§ LORD CACCIAMy Lords, while thanking the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor for his practical decision on a foreseeable need, may I ask him one further question on the time factor? In view of the increasing pressure on accommodation for records and for readers, both from overseas and at home, will every effort be made to ensure that at least some part of this new building, and as large a part as possible, will be available by the mid-1970s?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, although the immediate needs have 334 been met by converting a large part of the Land Registry for the use of the Public Record Office, I would agree that the need for a new building is an urgent one.
§ VISCOUNT DILHORNEMy Lords, may I ask the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor whether the new building will be large enough to accommodate the records which at present are not stored at the Public Record Office but are stored elsewhere; or will there always, even now, have to be a separate store for public records?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I think there may have to be a separate store for some. The Advisory Council on Public Records are still considering what would be the best division. I think that they anticipate probably keeping everything for this century, and the things which are more normally required, at Kew, and the medi[...]wal documents and legal documents in the existing building in Chancery Lane.
§ LORD PARGITERMy Lords, may I ask my noble and learned friend to what extent microfilm is used, in order to save space?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I think a good deal of microfilming is done. Certainly the photographic side is large. But I think that none of us knows at present how long a microfilm itself will last.