Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support his Department provides to finds liaison officers to ensure that detected archaeological finds are properly recorded in a speedier manner in order to encourage more finds to be declared to local authorities.

DCMS funds the Portable Antiques Scheme (PAS) at the British Museum through grant in aid. The scheme offers specifically-trained Finds Liason Officers to local Authorities to record Archaeological finds. In order to record finds quickly, these officers support Finders in self-recording, and run training schemes.

There is a network of 39 Finds Liaison Officers, based in museums and county councils throughout England and Wales and six National Finds Advisers. The data gathered by the Scheme is published on an online database (www.finds.org.uk).