Written question asked by Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 19 November 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 December 2002. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 December 2002 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what regulations protect hand-painted street advertising, what plans she has to improve the protection of hand-painted street advertising; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what regulations protect hand--painted street advertising, what plans she has to improve the protection of hand-painted street advertising; and if she will make a statement. [82717] Dr. Howells: there are no regulations specifically to protect hand-painted street advertising. It is possible that such advertising can be protected by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, which requires the Secretary of State to compile lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. An advertisement that has been painted on to a building would be protected if the building itself was listed. At the launch of the State of the Historic Environment Report on 25 November, we announced plans--in partnership with English Heritage--to improve and refocus the way the UK's built environment receives statutory protection. These will include a review of the current designation system, with a view to changing it to one that sustains the historic environment as a whole rather than relating in a piecemeal way to its constituent parts. This review will take around a year to report.

Secondary information