Commentary Part 1 – Historic Environment Scotland Section 11 – Grants and loans by Historic Environment Scotland
69.Section 11 allows Historic Environment Scotland to make grants and loans to such persons as it considers appropriate in furtherance of its functions subject to such terms and conditions as it may determine.
70.At present, grant programmes operated by Historic Scotland on behalf of Ministers include grants for the repair of historic buildings, grants for the care and maintenance of ancient monuments, grants for archaeology projects, grants in support of conservation skills training and grants to voluntary organisations. Total grant expenditure is in the order of £15 million per annum.
71.These grants are distributed under a variety of different powers held by Ministers, and there are a variety of terms and conditions associated with each power. The Act gives Historic Environment Scotland a single power which will allow it to take over all existing grant-giving activities and will promote a more responsive grant programme that can adapt to current needs and a less complex approach to programme terms and conditions.
72.Subsection (3) clarifies that such grants or loans made by Historic Environment Scotland must be made in accordance with any general authorisation given by the Scottish Ministers to Historic Environment Scotland. Such an authorisation might, for example, set the broad terms and eligibility/ranking criteria of all grant programmes which Historic Environment Scotland was expected to operate over the planning period. However, an authorisation would not extend to allowing Ministers to give direction in relation to the outcome of particular grant or loan applications.