Portable Antiquites Scheme and Metal Detecting Archive

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This section provides an archive of the Portable Antiquities Scheme and Treasure annual reports, DCMS press releases and the CBA’s responses and policies towards the Portable Antiquities Scheme and metal detecting.

2009

2008

  • CBA welcomes PAS news: The announcement of the positive review of the Portable Antiquities Scheme was welcomed by the CBA, which has been at the forefront of the campaign to support the Scheme (CBA 5 December, 2008)
  • Review of the Portable Antiquities Scheme by Kate Clark for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council was announced today, coinciding with the lauch of the Treasure Report 2005-6 at the British Museum. The new Culture Minister in England, Barbara Follett MP, announced that Kate Clark’s independent review had shown that there was a case for expanding the public funding of the Scheme (CBA 19 November, 2008).
  • Government Response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Reports on the Draft Heritage Protection Bill and Draft Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill Cm7472. The Government reviewed and considered the comments and recommendations of the report, and has published its formal response. This joint response also includes the Government’s response to the CMS Select Committee’s report on the Draft Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill which was published on 22 July 2008 (DCMS 20 October 2008).
  • Draft Heritage Protection Bill. The draft Heritage Protection Bill has been published for pre-legislative scrutiny. This is a draft Bill for England and Wales, which sets out the legislative framework for a unified and simpler heritage protection system that will be more open, accountable and transparent. The new system has been designed to provide more opportunities for public involvement and community engagement in understanding, preserving and managing our heritage (DCMS press release, 6 August 2008). More details in Heritage Protection Reform.

2007

Find 12940

2006

2005

Find 20592

  • National Buried Treasures Revealed. More than 67,000 archaeological items and 427 pieces of treasure have been discovered by members of the public over the past year. (DCMS Press Release, 150/05 Sept 2005)

2004

2003

  • Large Increase in Treasure Finds on the way says Arts Minister Estelle Morris (DCMS Press Release, 117/03, 15 Oct 2003)
  • The Goodison Review: Saving Art for the Nation is announced by the Treasury, to “…review the effectiveness and efficiency of support to regional and national museums and galleries to help them acquire works of art and culture of distinction that might otherwise be sold abroad, and to make those items accessible to the public” (HM Treasury, report published Jan 2004).

2002

Find 94344

2001

  • The Treasure Act Review Report and Recommendations are Published (2001). Direct PDF
  • Wreck Amnesty Report - between 23rd January and 24th April 2001, the Receiver of Wreck held a “Wreck Amnesty” allowing the reporting of wreck held by private individuals and organisations which had not been previously been declared (as is required under Section 236 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995) to the Receiver. This is the final report of that amnesty, during which 4,616 reports were made corresponding to c30,000 individual items.
  • The Portable Antiquities Working Group of the CBA submits response to the Treasure Act Review (Feb 2001) – Please note: This page is archived and no longer updated.

2000

Find 170054

1999

1998

1997

Find 37276

1996

Portable Antiquities Scheme Annual Reports & Treasure Annual Reports

PAS Annual Reports

DCMS Annual Treasure Reports