§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a breakdown of central 369W Government support for sites of historical interest by any convenient chronological classification of the date of the sites.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIt is not possible to analyse expenditure according to types or age of sites. Public funds for the recording, preservation or maintenance of sites of historical interest are provided through a number of channels.
English Heritage has powers to make grants for the repair or maintenance of individual buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest and, where necessary, to acquire buildings or to assist local authorities or the National Trust to do so. It also funds rescue archaeology, aimed at making a record of important sites before development. Total central Government grant in aid for English Heritage's activities during 1988–89 was £66.1 million. Funds were allocated as follows:
£ million Properties in care 18.0 Grants for historic buildings and ancient monuments/buildings in conservation areas 24.0 Archaeology 7.3 Activities equivalent to those of English Heritage are carried out in Scotland and Wales by the Scottish Development Department and the Welsh Office respectively.
The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England exists principally to maintain the scholarly archive on architecture and archaeology. In 1988–89, it received £3.9 million from central Government funds. Similar activities to those of the English Commission are carried out by its Scottish and Welsh counterparts.
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is empowered to give financial assistance towards the cost of acquiring, maintaining or preserving land, buildings, works of art and other objects of outstanding interest which are also of importance to the national heritage. There must be some connection between the subject of an application for assistance from the fund and the United Kingdom. Grant in aid for 1988–89 amounted to £3 million.
The Redundant Churches Fund seeks to preserve certain Church of England churches of special historic, architectural or archaeological significance, which have become redundant. Central Government assistance for 1988–89 was £0.95 million.
The Department of the Environment has direct responsibility for managing and maintaining the royal parks and palaces estate. In 1988–89, the net provision for this purpose was £45 million.
In addition, the Property Services Agency has a large number of historic buildings and monuments in its care, including the Houses of Parliament and major government buildings.