HL Deb 24 October 1995 vol 566 cc111-2WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will make an announcement about a policy and financial management review of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Lindsay)

As part of the Government's rolling programme of five-yearly policy and financial management reviews of non-departmental public bodies, the Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department will conduct a thorough review of the work of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh between now and March 1996. The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study. This will include an examination of what scope there is, if any, for discontinuing, or undertaking in some other way some or all of the functions which the garden carries out. This will include looking at how it takes forward its statutory obligations, including its objectives, as set out in the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985.

The second stage of the review will concentrate on the garden's financial management systems and controls.

We would welcome comments from interested parties. They should be sent by 30 November 1995 to:

  • Mr. K. K. Steven
  • The Scottish Office Agriculture Environment and Fisheries Department
  • Pentland House
  • 47 Robb's Loan
  • EDINBURGH
  • EH14 1TY