VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords. I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will state their policy in the matter of grants for the purpose of preventing certain works of art from being exported abroad, and what was the amount of the grants for the last year for which figures are available; and if they will set up a departmental committee to examine and report on the subject of grants-in-aid to galleries and local museums.]
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, following a recommendation of the Committee on the Export of Works of Art, which sat under the chairmanship of the noble Viscount, Lord Waverley, a Reviewing Committee was set up by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December, 1952. One of its tasks is to advise in cases where a special Exchequer grant is justified to prevent the export of works of art. the year ended 30th June, 1956, one special grant of £30,100 was made to the National Gallery, following a recommen- 1122 dation of the Reviewing Committee, to prevent the export of El Greco's Dream of Philip II. In addition, the annual and special grants-in-aid to certain national institutions and the use of the National Land Fund to acquire art treasures in satisfaction of estate duty, both tend to help retain important works of art in this country.
In reply to the second part of the noble Lord's Question, the facts of the position are already known and it is the Government's view that there is no sufficient case for the setting up of an outside inquiry. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury has instigated a thorough review of the, purchase grants of the national institutions as a guide to future policy. The Government have informed the Museums Association that local and private museums and art galleries which may be in need of financial assistance should look for this to the local authorities, who have permissive powers in this essentially local matter.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKI thank the noble Lord for his Answer. May I ask the noble Lord whether he will hear it mind that this is a "dog in the manager" policy in relation to the export of pictures? Had it been in operation here and in Holland, France, Italy and elsewhere a century or more ago, it would have dealt a knife-thrust to the dissemination of art and culture throughout civilised countries, with the result that we should have been a definite loser; and that that same consideration still holds good? Would he consider, in relation to what I have said, that some of the moneys which are granted to prevent the export of these works of art should be given instead to the local museums and art galleries, and to the Tate Gallery which is in desperate need of funds of that nature?
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, I do not think Her Majesty's Government would agree that we are adopting a "dog in the manger" policy in this matter. There were only eleven cases referred to the Reviewing Committee last year, and I do not think that that would constitute a "dog in the manger" attitude in the world trade of art. As regards diverting funds, I do not think that my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be prepared to divert funds, which are said to be rather 1123 exiguous in any case: it would be robbing somebody of something and not giving somebody else as much as he would like.