Information Management Policy for the Digital Data Archive and future EDRMS

1. Scope
2. Information covered
   
3. Storage media and file formats
4. Standards
5. Document retention
   1. Electronic documents
   2. Paper documents
   
6. Destruction policy
7. Responsibilities
8. Legal advice sought
9. Duty of care

Annex A - definitions

Annex B - storage media and file formats supporting the Information Management Policy

1. Scope

This policy has been approved by NAS Senior Management.

The NAS electronic information storage systems for the DDA and any future EDRMS are to be described in system description manuals. Each system will have a procedures manual describing the procedures for its use.
Definitions of the terms used within this policy document are detailed in Annex A.

NAS’s paper corporate records are managed in line with the Information and Documents Records Management Standard (BS ISO 15489).

• For the DDA – the NAS digital preservation strategy and NAS policies on the selection and weeding of records. Selection and weeding policies incorporate any legal obligations NAS is under with regard to the selection and disposal of records.  Once accessioned in NAS DDA digital records are retained permanently, unless deaccessioned in accordance with NAS policy.  DDA audit trail data will also be retained permanently within the DDA system. 
• For NAS corporate records - NAS File Classification Scheme Part C: Disposal Schedule. This schedule takes into account any legislation covering the retention of certain types of records.

• For DDA documentation – paper copies of each version of each document are filed on the appropriate NAS registered file, and marked for permanent preservation and as vital records. 
• For NAS corporate records - NAS File Classification Scheme Part C: Disposal Schedule. This schedule takes into account any legislation covering the retention of certain types of records.  

NAS currently has a paper system for its corporate records and a policy of “print to file” for electronic corporate records. A negligible amount of scanning of paper corporate documents is undertaken and in such cases the paper documents are currently retained as the official corporate record.

7. Responsibilities

For electronic and paper NAS corporate records, responsibility lies with the NAS records manager. 

Responsibility for maintenance of the information management policy lies with NAS Senior Management. 

The maintenance of compliance with BIP 0008 is the responsibility of the Deputy Keeper (Corporate Services) of the NAS.

8. Legal advice sought
The NAS will seek advice from the Office of the Solicitor to the Scottish Government (OSSG) on any legal matters where it feels this to be necessary or where it is not itself legally competent to make a decision. This advice can be reviewed and acted upon as appropriate. Records of this advice, any reviews and the resulting actions are classified as an ‘audit report’ and will be retained accordingly.

9. Duty of care
The National Archives of Scotland recognises that it has a duty of care, to keep secure and accurate original documentation, or authentic copies of them. This is achieved by:

• implementing this policy document;
  
• implementing an Information Security Policy;
• ensuring that only trained staff have access to the system;
• ensuring that acceptable quality control procedures are implemented;
  
• ensuring that the National Archives of Scotland legal advisors are consulted where necessary, and appropriate actions taken.

Annex A – Definitions

Revised and updated, July 2009