Metal detecting: Transparency Bill to make it harder to steal from our cookie jar!

The Bill is making rapid progress through the House. It requires dealers to report even small transactions to the government and keep extensive records. This is all entirely true, except it isn’t happening in Britain, it’s happening in the States and not in the House of Commons but in the House of Representatives.

But it will benefit Britain. If some of the hundreds of American detectorists who pay £2,000 for detecting holidays here decide to reimburse themselves by taking finds home to sell, US dealers will have to check where they came from, whether they’re Treasure items and whether the farmer is aware – and was paid!

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What level of shame should Britain be feeling over the fact it is Trump’s America, not Britain which is putting a lid on our heritage cookie jar!