§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will direct an investigation to be undertaken, in consultation with the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries and the Museums Association, on the principle of indemnities covering damage or loss in respect of loans of works of art from private sources to those local authority and university museums the security of which has been approved by the security adviser to the national museums, bearing in mind that the amount of indemnities issued to private lenders in respect of long-term loans to national museums, galleries and libraries in the United Kingdom has been given in the Official Report as more than £56.3 million at the beginning of 1978, while over the last 11 financial years the only claim made and satisfied in respect of such loans has also been specified in the Official Report as £500 in 1967–68; and whether she will make a statement.
§ Mr. OakesThe responsibility for safeguards against risks to objects lent to museums must rest primarily with the owners and the museum authorities. Experience with the extended Government indemnity arrangements instituted last year for loans from national to local collections has not yet been sufficient to allow an estimate to be made of the risks involved. It would be premature to consider a further extension to cover objects entirely outside national possession or control.