To ask the Minister of Finance, pursuant to AQW 5017/17-22, whether there are plans to review the current Civil Service email retention policy that was introduced in 2007.

The current Civil Service email retention policy is in place to ensure that all members of staff apply the principles of good record keeping to emails by correctly storing them in the official records repository HPRM “TRIM” if they are to be retained.

Email systems such as Microsoft Outlook are intended to manage correspondence and do not meet the record keeping requirements in respect of accessibility or security as a long term records management repository. The NICS is reviewing its record management policies and practices, including consideration of the most effective records management system to meet the evolving needs of the civil service in the modern digital era.