§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the recommendation of the Walsh Committee, Command Paper No. 3904, paragraph 104(5), urging him to seek powers to make voluntary agreements with landowners, and to run with the land, for restricting permanently the land-use of selected archaeological sites, on the basis of powers he already has in respect of sites of special scientific importance and for the Nature Conservancy, and in order to strengthen the statutory protection afforded to ancient monuments.
§ Mr. ChannonThere is already power to achieve this under the present Ancient Monuments Acts. Since, however, the statutory procedures are somewhat cumbersome it is proposed in due course to amend the legislation so that voluntary agreements can be made more simply.