HC Deb 16 January 1979 vol 960 cc733-4W
Mr. Faulds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the ruling by Mr. Speaker in December 1957, that the National Land Fund is a separate entity, not replenished from the Exchequer and that the new expenditure charge upon it does not result from a charge on the Exchequer, he will give instructions for the removal from the computations of the next issue of" the Government's expenditure plans "of the sum of £3.5 million in respect of the National Land Fund which figured in the last issue dated January 1978, Cmnd. Paper No. 7049, II, Table 2.13, page 95, paragraph 7.

Mr. Joel Barnett,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th January 1979], gave the following information:

No. Mr. Speaker's ruling in December 1957 related to the question whether Bills providing for charges to be borne by the National Land Fund needed a prior Queen's recommendation and a money resolution. It was therefore concerned with the House's Standing Orders and procedures. White Papers on public expenditure are designed to inform Parliament and the public of the Government's expenditure plans and it is appropriate that they should include this expenditure.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in accordance with the recommendation in the Third Report for the Expenditure Committee, Session 1977–78, dealing with the National Land Fund, he now proposed to revise Inland Revenue form 700A (being the undertaking required from applicants for exemption from capital transfer tax on works of art and museum objects) in so far as it concerns the fourth alternative condition relating to reasonable public access and, if an alteration in the undertaking in this particular respect is envisaged, when he anticipates that the revised form of undertaking will be available.

Mr. Joel Barnett,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th January 1979], gave the following information:

The public access requirements for exempt works of art are being reviewed. I cannot yet say when the results of this review will be available.