- National Heritage Acts
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The National Heritage Acts comprise four Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that aimed to alter the way in which Britain's national heritage assets are managed and protected.
Contents
National Heritage Act 1980
The National Heritage Act 1980 established the National Heritage Memorial Fund, abolished the National Land Fund, made provision for property to be accepted in satisfaction of taxation and provided for indemnities for objects on loan from museums and libraries. One of the primary drivers for the Act was the public controversy relating to the refusal of the Callaghan Government to accept an offer of Mentmore Towers and its contents in lieu of inheritance tax.[1]
National Heritage Act 1983
The 1983 act established the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, the Armouries, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as non-departmental public bodies to be governed by boards of trustees.
Section 30 of act made provision for the designation and funding of the Armed Forces Museums.
Prior to 1982, other British ancient or historical monuments and buildings had been protected through the Department of the Environment. This was felt by the ruling Conservative government to be lacking in public respect and to be excessively expensive. The 1983 Act created the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (HBMC), another non-departmental public body, to be given the a broad remit of managing the historic built environment of England. After the passing of the act, the HBMC was given the shorter working name of English Heritage, by which it is commonly known today.[2]
National Heritage Act 1997
The 1997 Act amended the 1980 Act by extending the scope of the National Heritage Memorial Fund to include
things of any kind which are of scenic, historic, archaeological, aesthetic, architectural, engineering, artistic or scientific interest, including animals and plants which are of zoological or botanical interest.
It also modified the 1983 Act, inserting section 31A to make specific provision for preservation of the Royal Naval College site.
National Heritage Act 2002
The 2002 Act extended the powers of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission to encompass underwater archaeology within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.
References
- ^ Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, October 20, 1992, column 411.
- ^ Delafons, John (1997). Politics and Preservation: a policy history of the built heritage, 1882-1996. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780419223900. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4vmT7axvoe0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0.
External links
- National Heritage Act 1980
- National Heritage Act 1983
- National Heritage Act 1997
- National Heritage Act 2002
United Kingdom legislationPre-Parliamentary legislation 
Acts of Parliament by states preceding
the Kingdom of Great BritainActs of the Parliament of England to 1483 · 1485–1601 · 1603–1641 · Interregnum (1642–1660) · 1660–1699 · 1700–1706
Acts of the Parliament of Scotland
Acts of the Parliament of Ireland to 1700 · 1701–1800Acts of Parliament of the
Kingdom of Great Britain1707–1719 · 1720–1739 · 1740–1759 · 1760–1779 · 1780–1800
Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland and the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandChurch of England Measures Legislation of devolved institutions Acts of the Scottish Parliament
Acts and Measures of the Welsh Assembly
Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly / of the Northern Ireland Parliament
Orders in Council for Northern IrelandSecondary legislation Categories:- Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Archaeology of the United Kingdom
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