§ 10. Mr. Andrew Dismore (Hendon)If he will make a statement on progress on the review of national art collections to identify art that may have been looted from victims of Nazi persecution. [110607]
§ The Minister for the Arts (Mr. Alan Howarth)The national museums directors conference will be holding a news conference tomorrow to make a first report of the results of research into provenance during the period 1933–45. I understand that the findings will be published on the internet.
§ Mr. DismoreI welcome my hon. Friend's answer, which shows, with the panel that was announced last week, a clear recognition of the need to make restitution to the victims of the Nazis—a need that was badly neglected by the previous Conservative Government. There is some concern, especially in the Jewish community, as to the need for further consultation over the membership and terms of reference of the panel. Will he tell us what powers the panel will have if there is a dispute between the rightful owner of a looted work of art, who wants it back, and an institution that does not want to give it up?
§ Mr. HowarthOf course, I have held consultations and continue to do so. Last year, I offered organisations representing Jewish people, or acting on behalf of Jewish claimants, the opportunity to meet senior officials in my Department. The Holocaust Educational Trust and the European Commission on Looted Art availed themselves of that opportunity; the Board of Deputies of British Jews did not do so. However, I was pleased to meet representatives of all three organisations before publishing our proposals for the terms of reference of the spoliation advisory panel, which are, of course, consultative.
On the second point made by my hon. Friend, our sole desire in establishing the panel is to make it easier for justice to be done. I am holding consultations on the membership of the panel. It will be chaired by a most distinguished, retired, Lord Justice of Appeal, Sir David Hirst. I propose that it should include not only lawyers, but historians, ethicists, experts on the art market, Jews and gentiles. The panel's paramount purpose will be to achieve a fair and just solution both for the claimant and for the institution. It will have a range of remedies; 14 however if, unfortunately, the remedy that it offers does not recommend itself in a particular case, the claimant will still have the right to go to law.