Incidentally Andrew, you still haven't answered your own question, should  we 
promote metal detecting, and have instead amended it to should we promote  
responsible metal detecting.
 
Everyone agrees to the latter if its seen as a conversion process of  
existing detectorists. But of central significance to this thread is -
should we promote the growth of numbers of brand-new-to-the- hobby  
RESPONSIBLE detectorists. That seems to be the only possible aim of PAS's  detecting 
game for children (albeit the mechanics of ensuring they're  responsible are 
mighty obscure). It would be good to know whether you or  PAS thinks that would 
be beneficial to society and archaeology but I somehow  doubt we shall hear.
 
 
BTW David 
"I seemed to have lost the section that has that in it....  or did you  just 
make that up to suit your view...?  " 
is not going to prompt the desired reponse. How transparent and  undignified.