Dead Sea Scrolls

HC Deb 26 July 1960 vol 627 cc109-10W

67. Mr. Fletcher

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the importance to British scholarship and culture, in addition to the intrinsic value of the subject matter, he will make funds available to the British Museum and the British Academy to enable them to acquire, in conjunction with the Palestine Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem, a quantity of Dead Sea scrolls recently discovered in Jordan, and to provide means for the necessary work of research, editing and publication of these documents by the team of British and international scholars that has been working on similar documents.

Mr. Amory

No question arises of acquisition of these scrolls by the British Museum or the British Academy. The attitude of Her Majesty's Government towards any proposal that assistance should be given to enable the Palestine Archaeological Museum to acquire and work on the Scrolls will depend upon the willingness of other countries concerned to co-operate financially and otherwise.