HL Deb 12 February 1981 vol 417 cc401-2WA
Lord Teviot

ask Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to publish the report by Mr. D. Caplan on the work of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts prepared in 1980 and what action they propose to take in pursuance of it.

Lord Soames

The Civil Service Department invited Mr. Caplan to conduct a limited inquiry with the following terms of referenceTo examine the work of the Royal Commission and to report and make recommendations with a view to establishing:—

  1. (a) whether there is a case for its continued existence; and
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  2. (b) if so, whether any of its existing functions could more effectively and economically be undertaken by other bodies, e.g. the British Library".

I have accepted the principal recommendation of the report, namely that the work done by the commission should continue, but that it would be right to reconsider the role of the Royal Commission itself in the light of whatever decisions may be taken on the findings of the Committee on Public Records.

I will wait until I have seen the report of that committee before taking things further.

House adjourned at ten minutes before eleven o'clock.