Painters and Sculptors

HC Deb 14 January 1977 vol 923 cc625-6W

Mr. Sainsbury

asked the Secretary of State for Trade in which EEC countries there are resale rights for painters and sculpters; and what is the extent of these rights.

Mr. Clinton Davis

Painters and sculptors have resale rights—droit de suite—in Belgium, France, Federal Republic of Germany and Italy.

Belgian law provides an inalienable right for such artists throughout the term of copyright on paintings and sculptures sold at public auctions. The scale of payment ranges from 2 per cent. of sums

Mr. Clinton Davis

I have no plans to extend the admissibility limits on assets for the purpose of calculating insurance companies' solvency. Equity shares and debentures are already admissible and I have recently increased the limit on owner-occupied mortgage loans to 1 per cent.