§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans to establish Historic Scotland as an executive agency.
§ Mr. LangI informed the House on 28 February of my intention to establish Historic Scotland as an executive agency on 1 April. I can now confirm that the agency will indeed be set up on that date and that I shall preside at a launch ceremony on 8 April.
For 1991–92, the first year of operation, I have set the following key performance targets for Historic Scotland:
440WNumber of monuments newly scheduled. The target is to schedule 280 monuments in 1991–92, in addition to the 4,800 already scheduled.
Number of completed units of the resurvey of listed buildings. The target is to complete 200 survey units in 1991–92.
Number of general historic building repair grant cases in payment. The target is to effect payment to 400 cases in 1991–92, giving priority to the most important buildings.
Number of visitors to monuments in care where an admission charge is made. The target is to increase visitor numbers by 4.5 per cent. to 2.71 million in 1991–92.
Total income. The target is to increase income to £6 million in 1991–92.
Conservation backlog on monuments in care. The target is to contain, and if possible to reduce, the backlog of overdue maintenance.
Value for money savings on maintenance of monuments in care. A target will be developed for 1992–93.
Surplus on commercial activities. A target will be developed for 1992–93.
Exchequer contribution to Historic Scotland's work. The target for 1991–92 is to keep the increase in the call on the Exchequer for net current expenditure at or below the level of inflation.
In order to ensure that Historic Scotland uses its domestic resources efficiently, I have set it a target to achieve cash-releasing efficiency gains of 1.5 per cent. And its running cost limit for 1991–92 has been set on that basis.
The director of Historic Scotland, as the agency's chief executive, will be directly accountable to me for the achievement of these targets, which will be reported in the agency's published annual report.
I will place a copy of the agency's framework document in the Libraries of both Houses.