Posts tagged PAS
Funding the Portable Antiquities Scheme: The debate continues
Mar 8th
Image (cc) The Portable Antiquities Scheme.
A series of written answers concerning the Portable Antiquities Scheme came out this week.
David Taylor (Labour) asked what redundancies are going to happen given that the finances were only going to ‘maintain the level of support’. The reply was that the Minister doesn’t know and it’s not the government’s problem.
Hwyel Williams (Plaid Cymru) asked how many Finds Liaison Officers cover Wales and what assessment has been made of their effectiveness. The answer is one, and as far as the Minister is concerned it seems that there’s no interest in how effective that officer is.
Lembit Öpik (Liberal Democrat) had a couple of pointed questions about the future. What would the funding be for the next three years? That hasn’t been decided yet, and it’s not a government matter. Given the current financial crisis the country’s in where cuts are being made across all research councils to bail out other problems it seems that long-term planning simply isn’t possible at the PAS. That does raise the question how on earth are the PAS going to plan for the future. Lembit Öpik also asked what discussions there had been about the scheme’s future with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The More >
News from Westminster
Feb 1st
Yvonne Aburrow can take credit for this. Following her reminder over the PAS petition a couple of weeks ago I wrote to my MP. I came home yesterday and found I had a letter from the House of Commons. My MP had already signed EDM 566, asking for funding for the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Nonetheless he hopes to ask a question to the relevant ministers about whether they would change their mind on the funding freeze in the face of new evidence.
It reflects well on my MP that he’s happy to listen and one the sites They Work for You and Write to Them. If you are registered to vote in the UK you can contact your own MP on PAS funding, the Astronomy Funding Crisis or urge them to shovel a few more pounds to your favourite bankers via Northern Rock because it seems they don’t have enough money either.
Is the role of Government to govern?
Jan 25th
I’ve signed up to the RSS feeds for They Work For You. It seems quite a few people have been taking an interest in the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
It’s useful because it means you can keep track of exchanges like this:
James Gray (North Wiltshire, Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the long-term future of the Portable Antiquities Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Margaret Hodge (Minister of State (Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport) The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and so any decisions on its future funding will be taken by the MLA. In recognition of the importance of the scheme, I am very pleased to be able to confirm that the MLA has announced that it intends to maintain current levels of support for the PAS in 2008-09. The MLA will consider options for future funding of the PAS in the context of its priorities for museum collections and public participation.
The PAS is of national importance and the MLA is committed to seeing it thrive and evolve. The MLA will continue to More >
The Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Indifference of Government
Jan 19th
Yvonne Aburrow has reminded me that if I want to blog about the financial crisis facing the Portable Antiquities Scheme then I’d better do it soon. I haven’t till now because many people have blogged about this I don’t want to simply say me too. There’s also the problem that I don’t want to be too ranty. It’s difficult because the PAS isn’t merely good, it’s so good it’s difficult to say how good it is.
What is the problem? These are the latest answers on the scheme in Parliament. the latest news I’ve found in Hansard, the record of Parliament.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the reporting of treasure in England and Wales of the proposal by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council to maintain the funding for the Portable Antiquities Scheme next year at its current level; and if he will make a statement. [175277]
Margaret Hodge: The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and so any decisions on its future funding will be taken by the MLA.
The PAS is of national importance and the MLA is committed to seeing More >
