Tuesday 15 January 2008

Portable Antiquities Scheme: Funding Cuts?

The UK Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is facing major financial cuts.

Current Archaeology has featured the story and invites visitors to their website to express an opinion. Over 260 people have cast their vote and it is clear where support lies.

UK citizens can also sign a petition on the Downing Street Website:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Preserve and Invest in the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Members of Parliament - as of today some 128 - have signed up to the Early Day Motion tabled by Tim Loughton, MP:
That this House recognises the great contribution of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) to transforming the archaeological map of Britain by proactively recording archaeological finds made by the public; celebrates the fact that in 10 years the scheme has recorded on its public database more than 300,000 archaeological finds, which would not have otherwise been reported, for the benefit of all; expresses concern at the likely impact of funding cuts proposed for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), following the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, on the PAS; and urges the Government to ensure that the scheme is at least able to maintain its current levels of activity and to consider urgently whether MLA offers the best home for the PAS or whether another body, such as the British Museum, would not be better placed to provide PAS with a long-term sustainable future.

6 comments:

Peter Tompa said...

David- Thank you for bringing this important issue to the attention of your readers. While we disagree on many things, including some related to the value of the of the PAS as an alternative to the present state of affairs in countries like Cyprus, we most likely agree on the value of the PAS to recording the the past within England and Wales. The American Numismatic Society, the American Numismatic Association and the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild have already written in support of PAS to UK authorities and I hope US based archaeological organizations will do the same.

Best regards,

Peter Tompa

David Gill said...

Just an update on figures:
344 have now voted on the Current Archaeology website.
The No. 10 Petition is up to 1630 signatories.

David Gill said...

There is a helpful posting, including quotes from Hansard, at:
http://archaeoastronomy.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/the-portable-antiquities-scheme-and-the-indifference-of-government/.

David Gill said...

A further update on figures:
434 have now voted on the Current Archaeology website.
The No. 10 Petition is up to 1731 signatories.

David Gill said...

A further update on figures:
504 have now voted on the Current Archaeology website.
The No. 10 Petition is up to 1806 signatories. (This closes on 13 Feb 2008.)

David Gill said...

A further update on figures:
561 have now voted on the Current Archaeology website (with > 95% in support of the PAS).
The No. 10 Petition is up to 1874 signatories.

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