National Heritage Act 1983

24 The Board’s general functions. E+W

(1) So far as practicable and subject to the provisions of this Act, the Board shall—

(a) carry out investigation and research into the science of plants and related subjects, and disseminate the results of the investigation and research,

(b) provide advice, instruction and education in relation to those aspects of the science of plants with which the Board are for the time being in fact concerned,

(c) provide other services (including quarantine) in relation to plants,

(d) care for their collections of plants, preserved plant material other objects relating to plants, books and records,

(e) Keep the collections as national reference collections, secure that they are available to persons for the purposes of study, and add to and adapt them as scientific needs and the Board’s resources allow, and

(f) afford to members of the public opportunities to enter any land occupied or managed by the Board, for the purpose of gaining knowledge and enjoyment from the Board’s collections.

(2) For those purposes the Board may, subject to the provisions of this Act—

(a) enter into contracts and other agreements (including agreements for the Board’s occupation or management of land),

(b) acquire and dispose of land and other property, and

(c) require payment for any advice, instruction, education or other service provided by the Board or for any goods provided by them or for entry to any land occupied or managed by them.

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Board may do such things as they think necessary or expedient—

(a) for preserving, and increasing the utility of, their collections,

(b) for securing the due administration of anything vested in or acquired by them, and any land occupied or managed by them, under or by virtue of this Act, and

(c) otherwise for the purposes of their functions.

(4) Subsection (5) applies to functions which are exercisable by a Minister of the Crown (whether by virtue of an enactment or otherwise) in relation to the management of Kew Gardens or other land and which in his opinion can appropriately be exercised by the Board having regard to their functions and resources; but subsection (5) does not apply to a function of making regulations or other instruments of a legislative character.

(5) If the Minister directs the Board to exercise functions specified in the direction in relation to land so specified, the Board shall exercise them on his behalf in such manner as he may from time to time direct.

(6) The Board shall not acquire or dispose of land without the consent of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; but that restriction does not apply to the grant of a lease of, or a licence or concession in respect of, land if the term of the proposed grant is less than one year.

(7) The Board shall not fix, without that Minister’s consent, the hours in which members of the public may enter land occupied or managed by them.

(8) The Board shall not fix, without that Minister’s consent given with the Treasury’s approval, the fees charged for such entry.

(9) The Board’s name shall not be taken to confine their activities to Kew.