The National Archives recommend that this retention schedule is used for inquiries set up under the Inquiries Act 2005 and that all other inquiries adopt this retention schedule as best practice.

The following guidance is aimed at Departmental Record Officers and their staff and also staff in government departments and agencies who have responsibilities for project management. It covers records in all media generated by all kinds of projects.

This guidance is aimed at Departmental Record Officers and staff in press offices or public relations/communications units of government departments and agencies. It covers records in all media generated by press offices and related functional areas.

Parliamentary papers copies are likely to be selected for preservation in The National Archives only if within assemblies including other unique papers, or if significantly annotated as part of the policy re/consideration process.

This guidance is aimed at Departmental Record Officers, Finance Directors and Internal Audit staff. It covers all internal audit records no longer required for business purposes, which are subject to a formal appraisal process to determine whether they fall within the criteria of selection for permanent preservation.

This guidance is aimed at Departmental Record Officers and staff in central government departments and agencies who handle records relating to the management of information. It is unlikely that any information management records will be selected for permanent preservation.

This guidance covers the information held on individual civil servants, commonly called P Files.

Retention scheduling guidance for contractual records

Retention scheduling guidance regarding complaints records

Retention scheduling guidance for central expenditure records