Rescue Response To Governments' Legislative Programme 2009-2010

RESCUE The British Archaeological Trust 15a Bull Plain, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1DX Telephone: 01992-553377

[email protected]

http://www.resscue-archaeology.org.uk

The Government's Forward Legislative Programme for 2009-10 A response by RESCUE – The British Archaeological Trust 15a Bull Plain Hertford Hertfordshire SG14 1DX Telephone: (01992) 553377 E-Mail: [email protected] We note the lack of inclusion of the Heritage Bill in the Government's forward programme. Once again, it seems that Heritage is demonstrably not one of the Government's areas of interest despite the affirmations made to this effect in numerous statements and publications. In The Historic Environment: A Force For Our Future (2001), the Government promised a new system that would be "...more efficient, effective, customer-orientated and transparent." (p.5), although currently, the situation could be argued convicingly to be the absolute opposite of this. This represents a profession and an industry in limbo - and that should not be allowed to continue. The Government should remember that its responsibility is to conserve, protect and enhance our Heritage - and should provide the necessary leadership that requires. There is one area of immediate concern however that must be addressed. The "delayed" Heritage Bill included provisions for the maintainance of Historic Environment Records to be made a statutory requirement of Local Authorities. With the current threats to Local Authority Heritage Conservation Services increasing and well-documented, we strongly recommend that this particular measure should be lifted from the Heritage Bill, and implemented as soon as possible. This provision will place no extra burden on Local Authorites as they currently operate, but will go some way to ensuring that in the coming years, surviving Heritage Protection and Advice Services will not be subject to repeated episodes of the swingeing opportunistic cuts we have seen undertaken by many Local Authorities in recent years. We would also recommend strongly that the Government should immediately issue a statement firmly setting out that it has no intention whatsoever of entering into any agreements with Odyssey Marine Exploration, regarding their proposals to remove important archaeological material from the wreck of the HMS Victory for commercial profit. 16.07.09 You can comment on the Draft Legislative programme until 21 September 2009. Please visit http://www.commonsleader.gov.uk/output/Page2827.asp for more details.

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