§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the loss, as a result of his policies, of experienced staff employed in rescue archaeology in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and adjoining counties; and what action he intends to take.
§ Mr. HeseltineMinisters have received five letters from Members, four enclosing a press release from the Wessex archaeological committee. A further three letters have been received by officials. I am reviewing the situation.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what rates of pay are offered to volunteers on archaeological digs within the control of his Department; what proportion of his Department's finances goes into direct excavations; and what is the proportion of excavation grant spent on guardianship sites.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps, in conjunction with the Council for British Archaeology, to institute a formal career structure for archaeology appropriate to its status as a specialised profession; and if he will make funds available to allow archaeology units and others to employ non-supervisory staff at rates appropriate to their skills, and not at subsistence rates as at present;
(2) if he will list, by grade, for each year from 1970, the recommended wage rates for archaeologists prescribed by his Department; on what basis, and after what consultations, such rates are calculated; and if he will estimate what proportion of his Department's total 534W expenditure on archaeology went on wages and salaries overall, and for subsistence volunteers in particular for the years 1977 to the current year.