§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the marketing company, Cardington, is required to find the £750,000 necessary to make up the reduction in taxpayer contributions to the Royal Parks; and, if so, what activities are permitted to it. [HL2953]
72WA
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyResponsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Lord Kennet from the Head of Policy, Royal Parks Agency, Ms V. Robertson, dated July 1998.
In the absence of the Chief Executive, Mr. David Welch, I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your parliamentary Question about whether the agency's marketing partner is expected to make up the shortfall in the Department's allocation and what activities it is permitted to carry out.
Since the agency was set up in 1993, one of our annual key targets has been to increase income. We appointed Cardington, now known as Royal Parks Enterprises (RPE), to explore and realise additional sources of revenue for the agency, irrespective of our annual budget allocation from the Department. RPE give us professional advice on suitable events for the Royal Parks and on how to obtain the best possible return from them. They are also developing a licensing and merchandising programme to market Royal Parks goods through outlets in this country (but outside the parks) and abroad.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they withdrew from the commitments entered into by the last Government concerning the Royal Parks when they accepted the Jenkins Report; whether there is now any limit on the commercialisation of the Royal Parks; and, if so, what. [HL2952]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Government remain committed to carrying out the recommendations of the Royal Parks Review Group accepted by the last Government, as resources permit.
The Royal Parks Agency has been asked to hold more events in the Royal Parks, both to attract a greater range of visitors to the parks, and to increase the agency's income. In doing so, the agency will always balance the aims of widening access and increasing the agency's income with its responsibility to preserve the fabric of the Royal Parks, and to protect their primary role as freely accessible spaces for the peaceful enjoyment of the public.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will review the statement made in a Written Answer by Mr. Tom Clarke, the Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, on 27 July (HC Deb, WA 58) that "I am keen that the Royal Parks Agency makes the most of opportunities to increase its income, for example from events, licences and merchandise", in the light of the conclusion of the Jenkins Reviews (which they accepted) that commercialisation is not compatible with sustaining the character and amenity of the parks and should therefore be strictly limited. [HL3248]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Jenkins Reviews acknowledge that it is important for the Royal Parks to generate income where feasible and sensible—but not at the expense of their character, fabric and integrity. Her 73WA Majesty's Government share this view. As the then Minister of State said in the other place, any proposals to generate income should be sympathetic to the amenity value of the parks.