§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in which year his Department or its predecessor began the issue of Government certificates of indemnity for loss of, or damage sustained by, works of art lent by private owners to publicly owned buildings, including embassies, for the contents of which he has responsibility; and what has been the total sum paid since that year in satisfaction of claims under such certificates of indemnity.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasAs responsibility for the Government picture collection has now been transferred to me, I am replying.
The first recorded Government indemnity given for works of art loaned by a private individual to the Department of the Environment or its predecessors was in 1946.
There is no record that any compensation has ever been paid in satisfaction of claims under such an indemnity.