HC Deb 11 July 1963 vol 680 cc1399-400
21. Mr. Fletcher

asked the Minister of Education whether he has now reconsidered the appeal of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation for a contribution from Her Majesty's Government to the revised plan for saving the temples of Abu Simbel; and what is the cost involved.

Sir E. Boyle

I cannot add at present to what I said last Thursday in reply to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell), but I will inform the House of the Government's decision as soon as I can.

Mr. Fletcher

If we may assume from that reply that the Minister will give sympathetic consideration to this matter, may I ask him also to take an opportunity of seeing that the appropriate authorities consider the suggestion, put forward in The Times today by the Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities, that more thought should be given to the appropriate location and resiting of these temples?

Sir E. Boyle

My difficulty is that the Executive Board of U.N.E.S.C.O. has taken a decision in this matter. I hope that it will bear in mind the point about resiting.

Dr. Stross

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the decision to carry on with this present scheme, which I believe is to cost about £12 million or £14 million, and which means cutting up the temples and hauling the pieces to the top of a cliff, is now completely final, or whether it may be possible to give further consideration to the third scheme, which would cost a little over £2 million and which seems to have many attractive features?

Sir E. Boyle

U.N.E.S.C.O. has taken a firm decision in favour of the Swedish scheme.