New Minister visits PAS

Date Published: Monday 24th May 2010 Author: Michael Lewis

In his first week as Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey attended a general meeting of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) on 21 May; besides PAS staff, Andrew Burnett (Deputy Director, British Museum) and Hedley Swain (Director, Programme Deliveries, MLA) were also present. Following a presentation of the new PAS database (by Dan Pett) and a recent coin find (by Sam Moorhead), the Minister addressed those present.

He said he was impressed by the new database and its mapping facilities: he particularly enjoyed seeing a map of finds in his own constituency of Wantage, Oxfordshire. The Minister said that PAS enabled people to become fascinated with the past, and also described it as a true partnership project. Looking to the future, he said it was clear the Government had tough decisions ahead, but he stood by what he said whilst he was Shadow Culture Minister, that PAS was a politician's dream, that it was streamlined, and he was aware that even the smallest
cut would have a big impact on delivery.

Therefore he promised that he would make a robust argument on behalf of the Scheme in the forthcoming
Spending Review. Afterwards the Minister was shown some recent finds that had come to light as a result of the PAS, and also had the opportunity to talk to Finds Liaison Officers and the Scheme's Finds Advisers.

Contact: Michael Lewis mlewis@britishmuseum.org +44(0) 20 7323 8611