The Central Records Office (SCADA), which is under the aegis of the Ministry of State, manages the Definitive Archives. To this effect, it supervises the selection, sorting, classification and conservation of these archives, i.e. administrative documents that have to be kept indefinitely after a process of sorting and elimination, because of their archival value. These activities are undertaken with a view to creating a reference source for historical, statistical or scientific purposes. The SCADA also offers help and advice to Government departments with managing their intermediate archives.