ACO COMMITTEE: Yes,(andno) Minister... ACO SUBMISSIONTO THE PARLIAMENTARYSELECT COMMITTEEON THE ENVIRaNMENT:HISTORIC BUILDINGSANDANCIENTMONUMENTS Parliament's Select Committee on the Environment will be addressing Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments in the United Kingdom at formal meetings after Easternthis year. This is a major opportunity for the Association to influence the decision-making process, particularly at a time when the Government is proposing new legislation in the planning field. The format of Select Connnittee hearings is that written connnents are sought, then sifted, and oral examination made before reporting to the House of Connnons. Select Committee reports are sometimes ignored and often dismissed by Government, but the ~rocess often brings to light new and dynamic recommendations for problem solving that eventually influence policy. It is also a means of alerting Parliament to difficulties experienced in using current legislation. It can review the efficacy of regulations, systems and organisations, and can point the way forward to new methods of practice. Procedure The Committee requires written evidence by the end of March 1986 from interested parties. No subjects connected with historic buildings and monuments are barred, but the Committee has sole rights to select the particular issues before it that are to be discussed. In this instance the Select Committ.ee specifically wishes to review the whole field, and more particularly: (I) the way in which buildings and monuments are identified as being of historic interest or value; (2) he_-_system of grants and other forms of financial assistance to encourage the proper maintainance and repair of historic buildings; (3) the arrangements for public access to historic buildings and monuments; (4) the financing, opertaion, and effectiveness of the Historic Buildings and Monumants Commission for England, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments for England. The Select Committee asks for this evidence, together with a brief description of the interested parties, their constitutions, activities, objectives and financial resourceslt then decides which parties to call in evidence and they are invited to attend oral interviews. The ACORi!sponse As officers at the sharp end of the consequences of recent planning and economic history connected with the environment, members of the ACOare ideallly placed to comment on the present state of affairs in the conservation field and on the Government's current line. The ACO Committee therefore feels it is important to make formal representations to the Parliamentary Select Committee, and in order to do this asks all members to participate in opinion and information gathering. Topics No burning issues should be excluded from members' comments, but the Committee suggests below areas it feels need to be addressed in addition to those subjects already chosen by the Select Committee. Certain ACOConnnittee members, because of their interest or special expertise, have volunteered to co-ordinate the collection of comments and data in certain fields. Members are asked to send any comments they have in these topic areas direct to the ACO Committee members concerned. All other comments should be passed, via the Regional Representative, to the Chairman by the third week of February. Proof ACOopinions and connnents on the working of the conservation system must be rePage 3
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