HC Deb 13 May 1991 vol 191 cc14-5
30. Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Minister for the Arts how many experts have been given grants for art restoration in the war zones of the middle east.

Mr. Renton

The Office of Arts and Libraries has received no requests for such grants and none has therefore been made.

Mr. Dalyell

What is the policy towards any requests for help that might come from Kuwait? Should not those who, rightly or wrongly, willed the war, which resulted in the destruction of the shrines at Kerbala and Najaf, at least respond favourably if the Shia community ask for help? Can we be prepared for that?

Mr. Renton

The hon. Gentleman is an experienced enough Member to know that there is little point in asking wholly hypothetical questions. As I said, I have received no such requests for help in restoring, for example, any religious or cultural items that might have been taken from the museums. If we were to receive such a request, I am sure that the conservation departments of our leading museums would do their best to help. They might make a charge, but that would not be unreasonable. However, they have received no such request, nor do we have any specific information about damage to artistic or cultural objects.

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