Written question asked by Robert Key (Conservative) on Wednesday, 30 January 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 1 February 2008. It was answered by Baroness Hodge of Barking (Labour) on Monday, 18 February 2008 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Archaeology

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations have been received by his Department since October 2007 from (a) hon. and right hon. Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords, (c) members of the public and (d) organisations on the future of the portable antiquities scheme.

Answer: The Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) recognises that the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is of national importance. The British Museum (BM) and the MLA are fully committed to the continued success of the PAS and are working together with other stakeholders to ensure that this is achieved.Since 1 October 2007, this Department has received (a) 131 representations from hon. and right hon. Members, (b) two representations from members of the House of Lords and (c) 109 from members of the public and other organisations on the subject of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.For the purposes of the Department's correspondence statistics we do not differentiate between letters from the public and letters from organisations.

Secondary information