12th November 2010, 02:41 PM
Have to say I thought the Minister was supportive of Archaeology what was said can be found at
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101111-0001.htm#10111158000899 the Minister said
“"The Department for Culture, Media and Sport plans to conduct a consultation that will,
"review the Treasure Act Code of Practice and ... the definition of Treasure contained in the Treasure Act 1996. This ... will provide the opportunity to consider whether it would be appropriate to extend the definition of treasure to include items such as the Roman parade helmet found",
Thus the government is considering a change in the law to stop this situation happening again. Surely this is a result?
She went on to say
“Baroness Rawlings: The Portable Antiquities Scheme is very important and I thank the noble Lord for that question. I appreciate that there is concern over the future of the scheme in the light of the announcement that the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which currently provides most of the scheme's funding, will be wound up by April 2012. I am pleased to confirm that the scheme will continue. Discussions are taking place about the best way for it to be managed and funded.”
She did duck the following question
“Lord Howarth of Newport: My Lords, can the Minister offer any comfort to archaeologists, faced as they are with cuts to funding for museums, universities, English Heritage and local authority archaeological departments and, indeed, the collapse of archaeological businesses that are dependent for their funding on developers? Do the Government have any policies to support archaeology?”
So I would say not bad for archaeology in the circumstances. The government, well part if it anyway, does have policies on archaeology.
I would draw everybody’s attention to the fact that in 2002 the Liberal Democrats debated and passed a policy motion on archaeology which was reported on as follows:
http://www.sal.org.uk/salon/sal30#7
The full text of the policy motion may be found on the Liberal Democrat website at www.libdems.org.uk/policy/conference/agenda/Thursday26th September/F19 Archaeology. Key points are the calls for:
1) archaeological Sites and Monuments Records and their successors to be adequately funded as a statutory function;
2) a comprehensive and fully funded Portable Antiquities Scheme;
3) damage to Scheduled Monuments to be included in a criminal justice bill and for the laws relating to archaeological sites to be reviewed and strengthened.
We have policy 2 already and the Minister has just said that it is important and will continue. PPS 5 does not quite fulfil policy 1 but with a search being required for every heritage asset in effect this has been achieved. To achieve policy 1 fully a law change would be needed and this is something that the Act that was axed by Labour might have achieved.
Peter
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/101111-0001.htm#10111158000899 the Minister said
“"The Department for Culture, Media and Sport plans to conduct a consultation that will,
"review the Treasure Act Code of Practice and ... the definition of Treasure contained in the Treasure Act 1996. This ... will provide the opportunity to consider whether it would be appropriate to extend the definition of treasure to include items such as the Roman parade helmet found",
Thus the government is considering a change in the law to stop this situation happening again. Surely this is a result?
She went on to say
“Baroness Rawlings: The Portable Antiquities Scheme is very important and I thank the noble Lord for that question. I appreciate that there is concern over the future of the scheme in the light of the announcement that the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which currently provides most of the scheme's funding, will be wound up by April 2012. I am pleased to confirm that the scheme will continue. Discussions are taking place about the best way for it to be managed and funded.”
She did duck the following question
“Lord Howarth of Newport: My Lords, can the Minister offer any comfort to archaeologists, faced as they are with cuts to funding for museums, universities, English Heritage and local authority archaeological departments and, indeed, the collapse of archaeological businesses that are dependent for their funding on developers? Do the Government have any policies to support archaeology?”
So I would say not bad for archaeology in the circumstances. The government, well part if it anyway, does have policies on archaeology.
I would draw everybody’s attention to the fact that in 2002 the Liberal Democrats debated and passed a policy motion on archaeology which was reported on as follows:
http://www.sal.org.uk/salon/sal30#7
The full text of the policy motion may be found on the Liberal Democrat website at www.libdems.org.uk/policy/conference/agenda/Thursday26th September/F19 Archaeology. Key points are the calls for:
1) archaeological Sites and Monuments Records and their successors to be adequately funded as a statutory function;
2) a comprehensive and fully funded Portable Antiquities Scheme;
3) damage to Scheduled Monuments to be included in a criminal justice bill and for the laws relating to archaeological sites to be reviewed and strengthened.
We have policy 2 already and the Minister has just said that it is important and will continue. PPS 5 does not quite fulfil policy 1 but with a search being required for every heritage asset in effect this has been achieved. To achieve policy 1 fully a law change would be needed and this is something that the Act that was axed by Labour might have achieved.
Peter