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LCQ 10: Government records with historical value
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     Following is a question by the Hon Cyd Ho Sau-lan and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, in the Legislative Council today (December 3):

Question:

     The functions of the Public Records Office (PRO) of Hong Kong include examining government records and materials with due care and transferring those with historical value to its special repositories for proper preservation.  However, it has been reported that some government departments have not only refused to transfer records and materials of enduring value as requested by PRO, but have also destroyed the records concerned.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)  in the past five years, which government departments and bureaux had refused request(s) for transferring records and materials; of the records and materials involved; the justifications for their refusals; the records and materials having been destroyed and those not yet destroyed; the reasons for destroying them; the ranks of the government officials who were authorised to decide on the destruction of such records and materials, whether any politically appointed officials were included; and whether the government departments and bureaux concerned will transfer to PRO those records and materials not yet destroyed after the files concerned have been closed;

(b)  whether it allows other departments and bureaux to hinder PRO from acquiring and appraising records and materials of enduring value for the people of Hong Kong; if so, of the reasons; if not, how it facilitates PRO to obtain such records and materials from those departments and bureaux;

(c)  whether at present it has any plan to introduce legislation for preserving government records and materials with historical value for public perusal; if not, of the reasons for that; and

(d)  whether it has any guideline instructing government departments and bureaux on how to cooperate with PRO to ensure proper preservation of records and materials with historical value; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will formulate such guidelines?

Reply:

President,

(a) The Government fully recognises the value and the heritage importance of records and has put in place administrative arrangements to facilitate the identification, transfer and preservation of and public access to government records having archival value.  The Government Records Service (GRS) is tasked to oversee the overall management of government records and ensure that government records are properly managed and those of historical value are selected for preservation and public access.  The Hong Kong Public Records Building is a purpose-built archive providing a secure and controlled environment for the protection of archival materials for permanent preservation.  It has been constructed and equipped in accordance with international standards for the preservation of records having historical value.

     Bureaux and departments are required to seek the prior consent of the GRS Director, ranked at D1 of the Directorate Pay Scale, for any destruction of their records.  In the process, if the records are considered as having historical value, such records will be transferred and kept at the Hong Kong Public Records Building.  Disciplinary action will be taken against civil servants for maliciously destroying or tampering with government records.

     In the past five years since January 2004, GRS appraised around 2.4 million files in around 2,050 cases.  According to records of GRS, during this period, there have been no cases where records and materials appraised to have historical value had not been transferred to GRS from bureaux and departments.  However, there were four cases wherein some records had been inadvertently destroyed and four cases with records reported missing by bureaux and departments before appraisal of archival value by GRS.  The concerned bureaux and departments had looked into all these cases and found no evidence of malicious destruction of records.  They have reminded their staff to adhere to the records management procedures and put in place measures to prevent recurrences in future.  They will also transfer to GRS for appraisal any records which were reported missing but are found subsequently.  Arising from these cases, GRS has reminded all bureaux and departments of the records management procedures and guidelines and the importance of proper management of government records, and has highlighted measures that should be adopted to prevent loss or inadvertent destruction of government records.

(b) and (d) It is the Government's established policy to identify and preserve records and materials of historical value for the people of Hong Kong.  Bureaux and departments are required to cooperate with GRS to ensure proper preservation of records and materials with historical value.  As explained above, bureaux and departments are required to seek the prior consent of the GRS Director for any destruction of records so that records having historical value are identified and transferred to GRS in the process.  We have also issued guidelines to bureaux and departments on proper management and preservation of records which include establishing records retention and disposal schedules to facilitate systematic transfer of historical records to GRS; and adopting appropriate procedures to safeguard records and arranging proper storage for records under their custody.  Bureaux and departments are also advised to follow specific procedures to transfer historical records to GRS, including liaising with GRS on the timing of transfer; designating an officer to coordinate the transfer; compiling a list of records with prescribed information; packing the records in containers requested by GRS; and arranging transportation.

(c) The Government has put in place administrative arrangements to facilitate the identification, transfer and preservation of and public access to government records and materials with historical value.  GRS has promulgated relevant records management procedures and guidelines. It also provides records management training and advice to help bureaux and departments improve their records management as well as providing public access to historical records kept by GRS through the Public Records (Access) Rules 1996.  In addition, bureaux and departments have appointed Departmental Records Managers to ensure that government records are properly managed and maintained.  Whilst there is no legislation on preservation of government records and materials with historical value, the present system is serving its purpose and we will continue to improve on it.  We do not consider legislation in this regard a priority item for the Government.

Ends/Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:15

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