Committee publication · Estimate memoranda · 3 March 2026
The National Archives Supplementary Estimate 2025-26 memorandum
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary
The National Archives' Supplementary Estimate for 2025-26 requests £53.2m Resource DEL, £0.1m Resource AME, and £7.9m Capital DEL. The increase of £2.0m from the Main Estimate is driven by Budget Cover Transfers from Ministry of Defence (£2.4m for FOI backlog clearing), Department of Business and Trade (£0.469m for Legislation Services), and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (£0.175m for Advisory Council), partly offset by a £1.044m switch from Resource to Capital spending.
Key findings
- Resource DEL increased to £53.2m (+£2.0m/4.0% from Main Estimate; +£6.2m/13.2% from Spending Review settlement), driven by Budget Cover Transfers totalling £3.044m from three departments
- Ministry of Defence transferred £2.4m specifically to clear backlog of FOI requests arising from Military Service Personnel records transfer to The National Archives
- Capital DEL increased to £7.9m (+£1.0m/15.1% from Main Estimate) due to budget switch from Resource Programme to bring forward capital works from 2026-27
- Administration costs rose to £13.8m partly due to increased Employers' National Insurance and implementation of Adaptive budgeting/forecasting tool above new Workday ERP system
- First year of R&D expenditure (£0.04m) incurred under Frascati definition to support development of new website Education section
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
The National Archives, Ministry of Defence, Department of Business and Trade, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Saul Nassé (Accounting Officer)
Notable line
“Ministry of Defence (MOD) of £2.4 million to fund resourcing for clearing the backlog of FOi requests that have arisen as a result of the Military Service Personnel records being transferred to The National Archives.”
Key Quotes
“A Budget Cover Transfer (BCT) from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of £2.4 million to fund resourcing for clearing the backlog of FOi requests that have arisen as a result of the Military Service Personnel records being transferred to The National Archives.”
“Administration costs have increased since the Spending Review partly because of the increase in Employers' NI and the requirement to implement Adaptive, a budgeting and 3 forecasting tool to sit above our new Finance/HR ERP system”
“This is the first time that The National Archives is expecting to incur R&D expenditure under the Frascati definition. It is required to support the development of the Education section of the new website currently being built.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗