HC Deb 20 March 1975 vol 888 cc524-5W
Mr. Faulds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will specify in which body is vested the ownership of works of art accepted in satisfaction of estate duty or capital transfer tax when they are allocated to (1) trustee-governed national museums (2) departmental national museums (3) local authority museums (4) university museums (5) the National Art Collections Fund (6) National Trust buildings and (7) other designations which might be applicable.

Mr. Joel Barnett:

When pre-eminent works of art are accepted in lieu of estate duty or capital transfer tax and allocated to one of the seven categories of institution listed, ownership is, or would be, vested as follows:

  1. (1) the Trustees of the national institution concerned;
  2. (2) the Minister responsible for the departmental museum;
  3. (3) the local authority;
  4. (4) the university;
  5. (5) the National Art-Collections Fund;
  6. (6) the National Trust;
  7. (7) the appropriate responsible body.

Until recently, ownership of items in which have been accepted by the Treasury categories 3–7 was vested in the Treasury in satisfaction of estate duty during the Solicitor and the work of art was allocated on long loan for 50 years. Ownership of items so lent is currently being transferred to body to which they were loaned.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will specify the individual works of art pre-eminent in for aesthetic merit or artistic interest

Cost borne by the National Land Fund
Description of offer £
Six items of English porcelain … … … … … … … … 5,200
A "Harbour Scene" in coloured chalks by J. McNeil Whistler … … … 600
Drawing by Canaletto of an "Architectural fantasy with Roman amphitheatre near a lagoon" … … … … … … … … … … 3,840
Seven marble portrait sculptures by Giovanni Battista Foggini … … … 40,000
Painting by Boudin entitled "View of Antibes" … … … … … 9,000
A "Shooting Party at Meggernie" by Richard Ansdell … … … 116,550
Portrait of Isabella, Countess of Sefton by Gainsborough … … …
The Story of William Tell by Josef Anton Koch … … … …
A silver-gilt trophy wrought by Paul Storr and presented to Lord Exmouth by officers who served under him in the bombardment of Algiers … … … 5,340
Portrait of Ellen Terry known as "Choosing" by George Frederick Watts 36,300
A self portrait of George Richmond … … … … … …
A drawing by George Richmond of William Blake, Walking … …