HC Deb 28 November 1968 vol 774 c159W
46. Mr. Strauss

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will amend the criteria which govern the Export Reviewing Committee to enable them to include the export of works which record an aspect of national achievement in art or a subject of national significance unrepresented in a publicly-owned collection that wishes to acquire it.

Miss Jennie Lee

To bring within the scope of the export control the large number of works which might be alleged to satisfy criteria of this character would make its operation more cumbersome and less effective than now and would seriously impede the work of expert advisers.

Mr. Strauss

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will amend the criteria which govern the Export Reviewing Committee to enable them to include the export of outstanding examples of late 19th century art.

Miss Jennie Lee

Any limitation on control in terms of the age of works of art involved must in a sense be arbitrary, but some such limitation is necessary and I consider that in all the circumstances the present 100 years' rule is the most satisfactory.

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