§ Mr. Juddasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the extent of current Government co-operation in the undersea excavation of the "Mary Rose" off South-sea; if he is taking steps to increase that co-operation; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BuckThe Royal Navy provides limited assistance to the "Mary Rose" (1967) Committee. This does not involve direct expenditure from defence funds274W and includes the offer of the use of Royal Navy divers provided any work they do is of benefit to their training and the issue of a local notice to mariners prohibiting anchoring and trawling in the area of the wreck and keeping watch for unauthorised diving on the site. Additionally, we have agreed to forgo to the committee any items of naval property which it may recover from the wreck for conservation and display at Southsea Castle Museum.
So far as the future is concerned, we are in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry about arrangements for buoying the wreck site when it has been designated as a restricted area under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.