§ Mr. Boydenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what progress is being made in establishing a national inventory of privately owned archaeological objects in accordance with Article 4 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage;
(2) what progress is being made in establishing a national inventory of publicly owned archaeological objects in accordance with Article 4 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThis Convention has not yet been ratified by the United Kingdom. Existing arrangements already cover in large measure the aims of Article 4. These measures include the Statutory List of Ancient Monuments, whether publicly or privately owned, published in accordance with the Ancient Monuments Acts and the inventories of the national museums. The national museums are also aware of the most important material in private hands.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to encourage exchanges of information on illicit excavations between scientific institutions, museums and her Department in accordance with Article 5 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage.
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§ Mrs. ThatcherThis Convention has not yet been ratified by the United Kingdom. Extensive information about archaeological excavations is already promulgated, for example, in the publications of learned societies.