§ Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthornasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the archaeology budget of English Heritage has been reduced in both cash and real terms since 1990–91, so that it is now in real terms approximately 55 per cent of the budget in 1990–91. [HL575]
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§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyIt is for English Heritage to decide what priority to give expenditure on archaeology commissions from the overall resources available to it from government grant in aid and from its own fund-raising activities.
In so doing it will take into account external conditions such as the impact of Planning Policy Guidance 16, which is now bringing in an estimated £20–£30 million of developers' expenditure a year on archaeological work, formerly funded entirely from English Heritage's Archaeology Commission budget.
§ Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthornasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they propose to take in response to the report of the statutory advisory committee with responsibility for archaeology (the Ancient Monuments Advisory Committee) to English Heritage that funding is insufficient to enable English Heritage to undertake its statutory responsibilities. [HL576]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyMy right honourable friend the Minister for the Arts regularly meets the chairman and chief executive of English Heritage to consider English Heritage's plans for the implementation of its various responsibilities.