10th March 2009, 11:40 AM
This is very important:
"Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, the noble Lord is very knowledgeable in this area, and I take his representation very seriously. We will look at that matter."
Lord Howarth of Newport: My Lords, will my noble friend assure the House that the Government will do all they can to ensure that the archaeology sector is not weakened in the recession? Will he confirm that the forthcoming planning policy statement on heritage and archaeology will not diminish existing protections for archaeology, particularly in respect of the duties that local planning authorities may lay upon developers, and that the Government look to local authorities not to reduce the capacity of their historic environment services?
Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, the Government are not concerned to do anything other than to enhance as far as we are able our heritage, of which buildings play such an important part. We recognise that both public authorities and those organisations which receive public funds play a critical role in this area. This is clearly a difficult time, but it is clear right across government, industry and the economy that if we lose skilled people at this time and set them at naught, the progress of recovery will be that much slower and that Britain will have greater difficulties in competing with the wider world unless we enhance the skills base. That is why, at the end of last year, the Government year emphasised the amount of resources that they were putting into enhancing and protecting the skills base in this country, of which architecture is such a significant part.
Noble Lords: Archaeology
Peter
"Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, the noble Lord is very knowledgeable in this area, and I take his representation very seriously. We will look at that matter."
Lord Howarth of Newport: My Lords, will my noble friend assure the House that the Government will do all they can to ensure that the archaeology sector is not weakened in the recession? Will he confirm that the forthcoming planning policy statement on heritage and archaeology will not diminish existing protections for archaeology, particularly in respect of the duties that local planning authorities may lay upon developers, and that the Government look to local authorities not to reduce the capacity of their historic environment services?
Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, the Government are not concerned to do anything other than to enhance as far as we are able our heritage, of which buildings play such an important part. We recognise that both public authorities and those organisations which receive public funds play a critical role in this area. This is clearly a difficult time, but it is clear right across government, industry and the economy that if we lose skilled people at this time and set them at naught, the progress of recovery will be that much slower and that Britain will have greater difficulties in competing with the wider world unless we enhance the skills base. That is why, at the end of last year, the Government year emphasised the amount of resources that they were putting into enhancing and protecting the skills base in this country, of which architecture is such a significant part.
Noble Lords: Archaeology
Peter