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Repatriation of Historical Objects

Ultimately, I am looking for any mechanism whatsoever to get the chess pieces back to Lewis. From correspondence that we have had, the chief executive of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local council, seems confident that it could cope with that. We could call the exhibition the British Museum or any other name, just as long as we get the chess pieces back to their natural home. Ideally, we want all the pieces, but we are ready to compromise in the beginning. That is just one of many ideas, and as I have said, to start with we could have a third of the pieces in the Outer Hebrides, a third in Edinburgh and a third in London. Nearly 220,000 people visited my islands last year, and, with the introduction of the road equivalent tariff, it has never been easier to get to the Outer Hebrides. If you have any spare time this summer, Mr. Benton, I suggest that a visit to the Isle of Lewis might be well worth while. It could then be continued downwards through the Isle of Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. Who knows, perhaps if you do that in a few years' time, you will be able to see the Lewis chessmen. The chessmen would be a great draw. Perhaps there are more historical artefacts to be found. Perhaps in future we might see grandmasters playing chess with the Lewis chess pieces in Stornoway, or certainly have them placed in the vicinity of such a match.