Committee publication · Estimate memoranda · 30 October 2024
The National Archives Main Estimate 2024-25 Memorandum
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary
The National Archives' Main Estimate 2024-25 memorandum requests £47.2m in Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and £6.9m in Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit. Resource spending decreases 4.9% year-on-year due to one-off 2023-24 funding for the Retained EU Law project; capital investment increases 93.5% to fund repository window replacement at Kew. The organisation operates under the Archives for Everyone 2023-27 strategy.
Key findings
- Resource DEL funding sought: £47.2m (down £2.5m, 4.9% vs. prior year final budget); decrease driven by removal of one-off Retained EU Law project funding from 2023-24.
- Capital DEL funding sought: £6.9m (up £3.3m, 93.5% vs. prior year); increase funds replacement of repository windows at Kew site.
- Administration costs: £10.9m sought, down £2.3m (17.7%) due to prior-year switch from Programme to Administration budgets for ERP system investment and one-off civil service pay award.
- 2021 Spending Review settlement confirmed for period to 31 March 2025; no additional funding announcements made.
- Depreciation ring-fenced budget increased to £8.1m (+4.4%) to cover internally developed software assets transitioning to completed status in 2023-24.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
The National Archives, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, HM Treasury, House of Commons Scrutiny Unit, Jeff James
Notable line
“The decrease in RDEL is due to additional funding in 2023-24 for the Retained EU Law project, which enables TNA to apply the effects of the Retained EU Law Revocation and Reform Act”
Key Quotes
“National Archives (TNA) is a non-ministerial department and the official archive and publisher for the UK Government and for England and Wales.”
“The decrease in RDEL is due to additional funding in 2023-24 for the Retained EU Law project, which enables TNA to apply the effects of the Retained EU Law Revocation and Reform Act”
“The CDEL budget has increased to support the replacement of the repository windows at our Kew site.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗