Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS) 
Architecture and Design Scotland was established in 2005 as a non departmental public body (NDPB), and operates as a company limited by guarantee which is funded by Scottish Government to be the national champion for good architecture, design and planning in the built environment.
The role of A+DS was reappraised in 2008 as part of the Scottish Government's public services simplification programme, and a Policy and Financial Management Review was published in April 2009 which proposed a simplification of the governance structure of A+DS. It encouraged a greater focus on supporting skills development and a re-engineering of design review to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
The review seeks to align the working practices of A+DS with the aims of Planning modernisation. It promotes closer working between A+DS and the Scottish Government to ensure that mechanisms are in place which deliver the Government's priorities - in this case, in particular, good quality design at the heart of house building and place-making in Scotland. A+DS is presently working with Scottish Government on transitional arrangements with a view to further developing the important contribution of the organisation.
A+DS has now also inherited responsibility for programmes previously delivered by The Lighthouse Trust.
The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture Design and the City, opened its doors in 1999 as part of Glasgow's year as the UK's City of Architecture and Design. From 2001, Scottish Ministers supported an annual national programme of activities, events, exhibitions and publications on architecture, developed and managed by the Centre.
The Lighthouse Trust, which operated the building until November 2009, was an independent cultural organisation with charitable status, the overall mission of which was to celebrate, promote and develop architecture and the creative industries in Scotland. Following a period of financial difficulty and the winding down of the Trust, we have been able to find a way to continue with a centre for architecture in the same location through discussion with the administrators and with Glasgow City Council, who are the building owners.
The Scottish Government will continue to support its programmes on architecture and sustainability within The Lighthouse building under the auspices of Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS). With the transfer of most of The Lighthouse national programme and sustainability programme staff to A+DS, we aim to continue to create a series of exhibitions, events and activities to the high standard achieved for so many years by The Lighthouse Trust.
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS)
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) is a non departmental public body (NDPB).
RCAHMS is responsible for recording, interpreting and collecting information about the built environment of Scotland. This information, which relates to buildings, sites, and ancient monuments of archaeological, architectural and historical interest (including maritime sites and underwater constructions), is then made freely available to the public. The Commission has established a leading international reputation for the quality of its digital access.
The organisation's collections are a key source of information on Scotland's cultural identity. The data which RCAHMS provides for archaeologists, architects and other built environment specialists makes an important contribution to place-making and regeneration projects in respect of understanding and responding to historic context, and the engagement of communities with their local heritage. The organisation's activities also provide support to the policy on architecture, the promotion of tourism and the work of Historic Scotland.
The Commission works closely with other organisations with interests in the historic built environment including, in particular, Historic Scotland, the National Collections and Local Authorities.