HC Deb 27 November 1953 vol 521 cc101-2W
Sir A. Bossom

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consult the museum and art gallery authorities concerning the possibility of loaning some of our pictures abroad which would not be damaged by travel, in return for the courtesy so frequently extended to Great Britain by some other countries in lending us pictures, often from their most important collections.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

In recent consultations the Trustees of both the National Gallery and of the Tate Gallery were agreeable to an extension of their statutory lending powers. The National Art Collection Bill now being considered in another place will, if agreed to by Parliament, supplement their power under the National Gallery (Overseas Loans) Act, 1935, to lend overseas pictures by British artists by enabling them to make overseas loans of foreign pictures also. Most other national museums and galleries already possess similar lending powers, but the exercise of the proposed new, as of existing powers, will, of course, remain entirely within the discretion of the trustees.