§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, in view of the success which has recently attended sales of valuable antiques and objets d'art in this country on behalf of the Red Cross, he will consider the desirability of instituting similar sales of British antiques and objets d'art in the United States of America with the object of amassing dollars for the purchase of armaments?
467W
Major Lloyd GeorgeI have been asked to reply. Under the direction of the Export Council, an Export Group, fully representative of the industry, has recently been formed for antiques and works of art. At this moment arrangements are being made with the support of the Export Group for representatives of a number of important firms to visit the United States of America on a joint sales effort and they will take with them a collection of works of art. In this way the same object as my hon. and gallant Friend has, I think, in mind, will be achieved, since the dollar proceeds of such sales have to be surrendered to the Treasury for the use of the nation.