Ms Rosemary Collier:

Conservation and preservation is the core principle. If the Minister decides that a particular structure deserves special protection, it is designated and brought into care. We would hope to have an input into that process and to be part of the considerations. It is fundamentally a matter of the conservation and preservation of the heritage structure.

Some properties in guardianship have limited public access but the vast majority have none. In fact, a private owner can designate whether he or she wants to provide a right of way. Of all the properties in private ownership that have been in guardianship to date, the vast majority do not have public access. However, the owners have given right-of-way access to the Commissioners of Public Works to undertake the conservation works.

I invite my colleague Mr. Moore to contribute at this point because he looks after the national monuments estate and will have some good, relevant examples.