§ Mr. Smallasked the Minister for Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the progress of the work of the British team engaged in the excavations of Carthage, giving particular details of the total number of personnel involved, the number of archaeologists stricto sensu, the total financial support to date given by his Department, and when this project is due for completion.
§ Mr. JuddA summary account of the British team's work appeared in the most recent Annual Report of the British Academy, that for 1974–75. A copy of this report has been placed in the Library of the House. Further details are expected to be given in the 1975–76 report, to be published next month. A first interim report was published in the Antiquaries Journal, Volume LV(1975), also available in the Library. The second interim report of the team's work is due to appear in the 1976 issue of the Antiquaries Journal due for publication in February. The field director's report on work during the 1976 season is to be delivered as a lecture in Burlington House later in January. The British Academy expect to produce a monograph on the work during the summer of 1977.
The "Save Carthage" campaign was promoted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation—UNESCO—at the request of the Tunisian Government. In addition to the work sponsored by my Ministry the Leverhulme Trust has awarded the British Academy a grant of £20,000 over two years. Archaeological missions from the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, France and Italy are also participating in this international venture. Their work is co-ordinated by the Carthage International Committee which was established in September 1975 on the initiative of the Tunisian Government. When completed, this large scale 6W programme will contribute substantially to knowledge about this ancient civilisation and will benefit Tunisia's growing tourist industry.
Fourteen people are involved in the British programme at Carthage, of whom eight are qualified archaeologists. With the exception of the field director, all team members are part-time and work mainly in the archaeological season which runs from March to early July.
The financial support to date given by my Ministry to the British Academy in support of this campaign is £66,000. This support was given in the following financial years:—
1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £21,000 Further—but final—contributions for the financial years 1977–78—£24,000—and 1978–79—£28,000—have been agreed, bringing our total financial commitment to £118,000.