Follett updates IHBC on forward strategy for Heritage Bill in England

Barbara Follet MP, Minister for Culture, Creative Industries & Tourism, has written to the IHBC Chair, Dave Chetwyn, as part of an update to the sector on the forward strategy for Heritage Protection Reform (HPR) following the absence of the Heritage Protection Bill from the legislative programme for 2009-09.  In her letter she reports on a proposed document, already flagged in a joint ministerial statement, that will outline ‘the Government’s vision and priorities for the historic environment’.  This will be developed while working ‘with colleagues from all over Whitehall’, and be informed by discussion with the Historic Environment Review Executive Committee (HEREC), which includes the IHBC’s Chair.   The statement is intended to ‘go wider than just heritage protection.  It will set out what the government sees its roles and responsibilities are… and will aim to influence the direction of current and future policies and major public service redevelopment programmes’.  The statement is now planned for ‘the summer’.  Mr Chetwyn has already accepted a personal invitation from DCMS to discuss the vision statement.