Colonial administration files
In 2013 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office made available to the public a large collection of files from former British territories, sometimes known as the 'migrated archives'.
All of these records, with the exception of a very small percentage subject to legal exemptions, are available to view at The National Archives (TNA). Details of the files are available on the TNA catalogue.
In June 2011 the Foreign Secretary appointed Professor Badger, Paul Mellon Professor of American History and Master of Clare College Cambridge as Independent Reviewer to oversee the release of the colonial administration files.
Professor Badger has made a video providing an overview of his role as Independent Reviewer:
Professor Tony Badger on the Foreign Office’s Colonial Administration files
Internal review into the FCO’s management and release of the colonial administration files
On 5 May 2011, the then Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon William Hague, informed Parliament that an internal review had been completed into the FCO’s management and release of the colonial administration files. The review was undertaken by the former British High Commissioner to Canada, Mr Anthony Cary.
If you need an accessible format, please email webmaster@fcdo.gov.uk quoting your address, telephone number along with the title of the publication (“Cary report on release of the colonial administration files”).
Closures and retentions of the colonial administration files
At Professor Badger’s request the FCO has published statistics for retentions and closures for the colonial administration files.