§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what practical issues relating to the transfer of responsibility for protected wrecks in English 971W waters remain to be resolved; in what way these differ from those already resolved by Scottish and Welsh Offices in relation to the transfer of their responsibilities to Historic Scotland and CADW respectively; and when he now expects the transfer to English Heritage to proceed.
§ Mr. BrookeThe issues which remain to be resolved relate to the legal and resource implications of transferring to English Heritage the functions currently undertaken by my Department. Assuming early resolution of these issues, I expect a transfer to take place later this year.
§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps his Department has taken to ensure the publication of information derived from the fieldwork undertaken by licensees on protected wreck sites, over and above what is listed in his Department's booklet "Guide to Historic Wreck Sites" designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.
§ Mr. BrookeLicensees are encouraged to publish fieldwork information in appropriate archaeological journals and depost copies of their reports with the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Applicants' intentions as regards publication are taken into account by the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites when assessing applications for licences to carry out investigations of designated sites.