Skip to main content
Department of Health Department of Health An Roinn Sláinte Männystrie O Pouste

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • The Public Records Act (Northern Ireland) 1923

    Topics:
    • Good management, good records, 
    • Legal and professional obligations

    The Public Records Act (NI) 1923 established the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland for the reception and preservation of public records.

    The Act

    It defined NI public records widely as ‘all records of any court, Government department, authority or office in Northern Ireland with respect to which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws’.

    It established a point of transfer of 20 years for public records and set out the basis for the disposal and retention of public records in Northern Ireland.

    • The Public Records Act (Northern Ireland) 1923

    Records management considerations

    The Freedom of Information Act 2000 amended S5 of the 1923 Act by providing a statutory right of access to public records disclosed in accordance with Freedom of Information.

    Disposal of Documents Order 1925

    The Disposal of Documents Order 1925 sets out the provisions for the disposal and retention by public authorities of Northern Ireland public records.

    It provides the legal basis for disposal schedules and sets out the need for public bodies to have an officer who is responsible for their records and information.

    Related content

    • Administrative law
    • Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 (as amended)
    • Completed Equality Screenings
    • Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008
    • Police Act 1997
    • Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967
    • The Access to Health Records (Northern Ireland) Order 1993
    • The Access to Personal Files and Medical Reports (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
    • The Adoption Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989
    • The Census (Confidentiality) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
    • The Civil Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
    • The Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
    • The Computer Misuse Act 1990
    • The Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976
    • The Consumer Protection (Northern Ireland) Order 1987
    • The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) (COSHH) 2003
    • The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
    • The Electronic Communications Act 2000
    • The Environmental Information Regulations 2004
    • The Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996
    • The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000
    • The Gender Recognition (Disclosure of Information) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Order 2005
    • The Gender Recognition Act 2004
    • The Health and Personal Social Services (General Medical Services Contracts), Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004
    • The Health and Personal Social Services, General Dental Services (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
    • The Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978
    • The High-activity Sealed Radioactive Sources and Orphan Sources Regulations 2005
    • The Human Rights Act 1998
    • The Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
    • The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003
    • The Public Interest Disclosure (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
    • The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens