§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they have made with their plans to work with the Learning and Skills Council in order to ensure that some centres of vocational excellence could specialise in skills relevant to the historic environment. [HL3572]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)We have been exploring with the Learning and Skills Council how some planned centres of vocational excellence could specialise in skills relevant to the historic environment. The skills that are particularly needed in this area are those relating to construction and tourism for restoring, maintaining and promoting access to the historic environment.
102WAThe Learning and Skills Council has made an impressive start in addressing employers' needs in these skills areas. It established, in July 2001, 16 pathfinder centres of vocational excellence. One of these focuses on construction skills.
The Learning and Skills Council also announced in March 2002 some 70 additional centres of vocational excellence that will form the first main roll-out phase of the programme. Ten of these will specialise in construction and four in tourism.
In addition, the Learning and Skills Council has identified construction as a priority skills area for centres of vocational excellence to address in the future. We can expect to see further centres meeting the needs of the historic environment as the programme is rolled out fully over the coming two years.
§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will publish the consultation paper covering the range of options to be considered for the expansion of the sites and monuments records system. [HL3570]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone)We are discussing implementation of our policy statement,The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, which covers this issue, with English Heritage and others. We will publish an implementation plan shortly.
§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they have made with their plans to work with English Heritage and other historic environment bodies to establish an annual historic environment week; and [HL3571]
What progress they have made in working with English Heritage to establish an historic attraction advisory unit in order to draw together best practice and advice from across the historic environment sector on marketing, visitor management, customer care and conservation. [HL3574]
§ Baroness BlackstoneWe are discussing implementation of our policy statement,The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, with English Heritage and others, including these action points. We will publish an implementation plan in the Spring.