Archaeology

Mr. Welsh
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to encourage archaeological field work in Scotland.

Mr. William Ross
The scheduling of ancient monuments, especially in areas of rapid development, will continue vigorously. Learned societies and ad hoc groups will be helped to carry out surveys, excavations and recording. In addition to this traditional field work there are plans to set up a Government-employed central excavation unit which would move at short notice to sites threatened with obliteration.