§ Mr. ColmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will respond to the recommendations in the report on the five-year review of the Royal Parks Agency; and if she will make a statement. [6513]
§ Tessa JowellThe report's main conclusion and recommendation was that responsibility for the royal parks should remain with central Government and that the Royal Parks Agency (RPA) should continue to manage them although the Department should work towards establishing the royal parks as a non-departmental public body (NDPB). The Government accept this recommendation and would like to see early progress to the change of status to NDPB. It is our intention, therefore, to establish the royal parks as an NDPB from 1 April 2002. I shall retain responsibility for the management of the royal parks but will be seeking Parliament's approval of an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 to delegate my day-to-day responsibilities to the new body. The Government have accepted all the recommendations in the report for improving the efficiency of the Royal Parks Agency. The chief executive has already achieved much in implementing these. This work will continue as part of the preparations for NDPB status. The Government accept the recommendation that the royal parks should be policed by a uniformed force. My Department and the Home Office are discussing the future relationship between the royal park constabulary and the Metropolitan police service so as to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective policing of the royal parks.
The Government believe that NDPB status, with the management of the royal parks guided by an expert and experienced board, will provide the royal parks with greater freedom and focus to continue to build on the high standard of presentation of the royal parks which has improved even further in recent years.