§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when Her Majesty's Government plan to ratify the European convention on the protection of the archaeological heritage; and if she will make a statement. [25626]
§ Mr. SproatThe United Kingdom supports the principle of a convention to provide a standard for the protection of archaeological sites throughout Europe, and the UK ratified the first European convention on the protection of the archaeological heritage on 20 April 1971. A revised convention was signed in 1992 and its ratification is currently under consideration.