§ Mr. Corrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his consultations on the future organisation of ancient monuments and historic buildings in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YoungerI have now completed my consultations on whether I should apply in Scotland proposals similar to those for England announced today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment for the establishment of a new non-departmental body to take over some of the functions on ancient monuments and historic buildings. I am grateful to all those who offered views.
The great majority of those consulted, including the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland and the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, were conclusively against the establishment of such a body in Scotland. These majority views reinforce my own that the needs of the ancient monuments estate and of historic buildings in Scotland are such that it is in the best interests of the heritage here to continue their management within central Government. Neither I nor the majority of respondents believe that the capacity to generate more revenue from the monuments is present in Scotland to anything like the extent in England. Edinburgh castle, whose very special character, use and occupation rule out any question of removing its management from central Government, produces on its own 70 per cent. of the total visitor revenue in Scotland and in my view the remainder of the estate does not offer sufficient potential to justify or make commercially advantageous the setting up of a new agency.
I am satisfied that the present arrangements work well and that they provide the best framework for developing the successful preservation, management and presentation of the heritage here. I have concluded that there are insufficient grounds for setting up in Scotland a new agency on the lines of that proposed for England, and accordingly I intend to maintain the present arrangements. I do not however take the view that these present arrangements are faultless. There is room for improvement.
The consultations have been very useful in focusing attention on the present arrangements and in eliciting views which will be very helpful in considering the future development and management of heritage matters in Scotland. I shall be watching closely the development of the English agency to see what lessons can be learned from it.