Vaizey: "saved for the nation"

DCMS Minister Ed Vaizey commented this week on the DCMS blog: "the scheme [sc. PAS] ensures that important and world famous finds like the Staffordshire Hoard are immediately handled properly and scrupulously, and so saved for the nation".

This weekend sees the end of the "Bronze" exhibition at the Royal Academy in London. Among the objects was the so-called Crosby Garrett helmet. That important and world (in)famous find was not "saved for the nation" and its tidying up for the sale (I am advised not to use the word "conserved") probably could not be described as being "handled properly and scrupulously".

Two years ago there was a call to review the Treasure Act by Lord Renfrew in the wake of the Crosby Garrett case. What has happened?