HC Deb 19 January 1990 vol 165 cc438-9W
Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra financial provision has been made to English Heritage in each financial year since it assumed responsibility for the relevant duties of the Greater London council; and what was the consequent increase in total expenditure, total grant offers made, total grants paid and total section 3A repair grant offers made since that date.

Mr. Trippier

The Greater London council's historic buildings division and historic house museums transferred to English Heritage in 1986. Additional grant-in-aid of £7.75 million was allocated to English Heritage in 1986–87 to cover the resulting extra costs. Since then the former Greater London council functions have ceased to be identified as a separate entity for the purposes of grant-in-aid but have become an integral part of English Heritage's national organisation and operation. In seeking extra resources each year English Heritage presents its bids on the basis of its work programmes (for example properties-in-care and conservation including building repair and archaeology grants) rather than on a regional basis. Allocation of existing and any additional resources among the regions is entirely a matter for English Heritage. Expenditure on grants in Greater London is as follows:

£ million (cash)
1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1
Section 3A repair grant offers 0.74 1.46 1.32 1.58
Total grant offers for the 4 years £19.457 million
Total grants paid 2.84 4.30 4.81 4.82
(Total £16.77 million)
1 Planned.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total expenditure by English Heritage and its predecessor, respectively, the total grant offers made and the total of grants paid, for each year 1981–82 to 1990–91;

(2) what was the total income and the income from grant-in-aid, respectively, of English Heritage and its predecessor, for each year 1981–82 to 1990–91.

Mr. Trippier

Prior to the setting up of English Heritage in 1983, the Department of the Environment was directly responsible for historic building grants, archaeology grants and the portfolio of properties-in-care. In 1986

1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 (planned)
Total provision 36.3 45.9
Grant in aid (English Heritage) 49.9 52.2 60.1 65.3 66.2 72.4 78.0
Total Income (English Heritage) 52.8 55.8 65.1 72.4 75.5 81.2 88.0
Total gross expenditure 34.8 43.5 52.1 55.0 62.8 71.0 78.4 84.7 90.0
Total grants paid 18.4 19.5 24.1 24.8 28.6 27.5 29.5 30.9 30.4
Total grants offered 27.7 28.2 29.8 34.2 33.0 33.7 36.4