Enhancing Public Records Management in Scotland

1. Information and Records Management Society Scotland Glasgow, 07 December 2012 Implementing the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 Hugh Hagan Senior Public Records Officer National Records of Scotland hugh.hagan@nas.gov.uk Tel: +44 (0)131 535 1409 1

2. Improving Record Keeping in Scotland • Avoid or minimise burdens on authorities • Enable improvement rather than prescribe it • Make the case for better records management • Create a culture that acknowledges and values public records 2

3. The Historical Abuse Systemic Review 1950-1995 “Former residents …are responding to a basic human need to search for family and to better understand what happened during their childhood. They live in a society of people who grew up in family homes, knowing their siblings, parents and extended family. Their lack of such knowledge can make them feel isolated, so records can help them trace their own family connections and develop a common sense of belonging…” Tom Shaw

4. The Keeper’s Review of Public Records Legislation

5. Key priorities for the new Act • Meet Shaw’s recommendations • Change the culture • Consistent, durable, demonstrable improvements • Collaborative working 5

6. What must we all do? • The Keeper must prepare and publish a model records management plan. • Named authorities must prepare a records management plan for the Keeper’s agreement and have regard to his model records management plan when doing so. • The Keeper must consult stakeholders on a draft of the plan and have regard to any views expressed in response to the consultation. 6

7. Consultation, collaboration, cooperation! “The bill seems to have a real strength, in that it is truly enabling. It is written in such a way as to allow a developmental process, which involves the providers, the local authorities and anyone else who is in the business of making records to be part of the development… Over time, that allows the prospect of continuing practice improvement.” Tom Shaw, Education, Lifelong learning and Culture Committee Evidence Session 19 Jan 2011 7

8. “Can we be last, please!” • An anonymous public authority! 8

9. Information and Records Management Society Scotland • NRS Websitehttp://www.nas.gov.uk • Questions about the Act or the process underway, contact:publicrecords@nas.gov.uk • Public Records Act Implementation Team: • Hugh Hagan: 0131 535 1409/ hugh.hagan@nas.gov.uk • Pete Wadley: 0131 535 1408/ pete.wadley@nas.gov.uk 9