§ 69. Mr. Hannahasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is the intention of the Government to take steps to forbid the export of national art treasures?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleA committee of the National Gallery Trustees under the chairmanship of the late Lord Curzon reported on this subject in 1913 (Command Paper 7878, 1915) and recommended that legislation was inadvisable. The matter has been further considered on several occasions since that date and the view that legislation is undesirable has been maintained. My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that as regards objects of national interest generally, the existing exemptions from Death Duties are designed to secure the retention of such objects in this country.