§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance his Department has given to the archaeologists' attempts to raise a medieval boat hull from the Bedwin sands in the Severn estuary; and if he will make a statement. [39435]
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe Welsh Office helped to fund the archaeological excavation of the Magor medieval boat as a joint venture with the National Museums and96W Galleries of Wales and Laing—GTM, the contractors for the second Severn crossing. The boat was raised from the mud of the Severn estuary in the early morning of Sunday 27 August this year. The Welsh Office contributed £19,428 towards the cost of excavation, with a further £20,239 being spent on recording and dismantling the boat ready for its conservation. A report of the work will also be funded by the Welsh Office.