To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the grants to the International Council on Monuments and Sites in each of the last five years. (145585)

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) does not receive grants through my Department. However, grants have been provided to its UK National Committee, ICOMOS-UK:

From 2004-05 ICOMOS-UK received grants through English Heritage:

Discussions concerning the grant for 2007-08 are under way. Historic Scotland and CADW have independent negotiations with ICOMOS-UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons annual grants are made to the International Council on Monuments and Sites. (145586)

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) does not receive grants through my Department. However, grants to its UK National Committee—ICOMOS-UK, are made by English Heritage.

This funding supports ICOMOS-UK’s World Heritage work in England, which includes: training and capacity building, communications/awareness raising; provision of advice on World Heritage nominations and management plans and on periodic reporting; advice on the implications of development proposals in World Heritage sites in England. Funding also supports the strengthening of ICOMOS-UK’s role on the international agenda, in particular through promoting best practice from the UK on World Heritage.

Historic Scotland and CADW have independent negotiations with ICOMOS-UK for their services.