§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will review the present export regulations with regard to British portraits, in view of the benefits to the National Portrait Galleries of London and Edinburgh of a reduction in general licences from £4,000 to £2,000.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsNo. A review of cases showed conclusively that items of national importance under the Waverley criteria are not being lost to the country because of the present limit. The rises in price since the present limit was fixed, indeed, suggests that the limit might be raised without disadvantage. As regards documents and photographs more than 70 years old—which might include some of the portraits which my hon. Friend has in mind—all cases are subject to an export licence.