MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HEAD QUARTERS

LONDON REGISTRY SERVICE (RSAT)/ MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENCE UNIT / COMPLAINT HANDLING AND ENQUIRIES TEAM/DATA ACCESS AND COMPLIANCE UNIT/ CRIMINAL JUSTICE SENTENCING POLICY / CENTRAL INFORMATION ASSURANCE BRANCH

RECORD RETENTION AND DISPOSITION SCHEDULE

Government Departments, Agencies, and all other public sector bodies, are instructed to retain any and all documents; correspondence; notes; e-mails and all other information – however held – which contain or may contain content pertaining directly or indirectly to the sexual abuse of children or to child protection and care. For the purposes of this instruction, the word “children” relates to any person under the age of 18.

NO

/ DESCRIPTION / TNA
SERIES / ACTION
Registered Policy series files
Electronic policy files /

Various

LCO 1
To
LCO 69 /
PAPER (LEGACY)
Annual review
First review 5 years after the last dated correspondence on file. Second review 25 years after the first dated correspondence on file.
Parliamentary
Commissioner of Administration cases – to be destroyed at first review
ELECTRONIC
Corporate records Review 3 years after date folder closed – retain or destroy
Local Management records destroy 2 years after folder closed except for the following:
Finance/Budget – Destroy 7 years after date folder closed
Bill files including papers relating to the preparation of Bills and their progress through all Parliamentary and Committee stages /
To be reviewed 7 years after Royal Assent granted, or Bill removed from Parliamentary process. Permanently preserve, or destroy.
Statutory Instrument [SI] files including papers relating to the preparation of SI’s and their progress through all Parliamentary and Committee stages /
To be reviewed 7 years after Royal Assent granted, or SI removed from Parliamentary process. Permanently preserve, or destroy
Policy File indexes e.g. “TR5” /
Paper [legacy]
Not for permanent preservation. Destroy 5 years after list closed or last entry made.
2nd review, review sheets /
Electronic
Folders to be closed after 1 year. Delete4 years after closure.
Treat Officials /
ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy one year after folder closed
unless ongoing correspondence identified by the business unit
Parliamentary Question files. / .ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy one year after folder closed
Minister’s Case files (“MC’s”) – letters from MPs to the Secretary of State / Lord Chancellor and the Parliamentary Secretaries.
Chief Executive files (“CEC’s”) / ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy Five year after folder closed
unless ongoing correspondence identified by the business unit
Ex Gratia files (“EG’s”)
Litigation filesSection 53 – Judicial Incapacity
Unlawful Arrests and Detention Claims /
PAPER
Annual review.
Destroy after 7 years and only then if no recorded file movement has occurred on the file during the preceding 12 months. If the latter applies, then retain until next annual review.
ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy 6 years after folder closed
unless ongoing correspondence identified by the business unit
Trust Corporation Status Issued Certificates Archive
/
To be retained for permanent preservation, in electronic form at The Ministry of Justice HQ, 102 Petty France, London,SW1H 9AJ.
Data Protection Act Registration, notification, records (paper and electronic
/
PAPER
Annual review. Destroy individual documents 2 years after date of document, and record cover when empty
ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy 1 year after folder closed
unless ongoing correspondence identified by the business unit
Requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act and the Environmental Information Regulations
(excluding Clearing House records) /
PAPER
Annual review.
Destroy after 3 years and only then if no recorded file movement has occurred on the file during the preceding 12 months. If the latter applies, then retain until next annual review.
In respect of requests investigated by the Information Commissioner review after 5 years.
ELECTRONIC
Folders are closed annually
Destroy two years after folder closedunless ongoing correspondence identified by the business unit
In respect of requests investigated by the Information Commissioner
Folders are closed annually. Review 4 years after folder closed. Retain or destroy
Information governance:
  • MoJ and ALB SIRO Board papers;
  • IA Leads Committee papers;
  • Corporate Management Board Information Security Committee and Information Committee papers;
  • Annual security and information risk reports from the DSO and SIRO to the Permanent Secretary (internal report) and Cabinet Office;
/ To be reviewed after 7 years.
If information/policies referred to are extant, retain and thereafter review annually, until policy superseded, then destroy.
Register of County Court Judgement (RCCJ) Tapes
/
Destroy after 6 years
Electoral Policy Reform files
/
Responsibility for these files transferred to the Cabinet Office as of 27th May 2010
MoJ legal advice, case files,
letters to clients and
litigation (i.e. records in file
plan under
COP/11- Corporate – Legal)
/ ELECTRONIC
Review 6 years after date folder closed, retain or destroy.
Clearing House FOI casework
files
/ Delete 1 month after closure of Clearing House on 31stAugust 2012.

This Schedule takes account of any electronic document whose creation was discussed in its preparation. These documents are either printed out and copies placed on registered paper files or held as electronic records and noted in the schedule. Please retain for future reference.

The MOJ Departmental Records Officer has drawn up this schedule in consultation with MoJ HQ Divisions/Directorates/Groups/Teams. Please retain for future reference.

Departmental Records Officer

Ministry of Justice Records Management Services

1 Floor, 102 Petty France

London

SW1H 9AJ

Date of Original Issue: July 1999

Latest Revision:February2016