§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East 85W on 15 December, Official Report, c. 98, how many formal requests, other than that relating to the landscape by Rubens recently acquired from the Seilern collection, have been received by the Treasury during the past 10 years for approval of a variation of the normal rules for administration of the local museums purchase fund; and whether he will specify any cases during that period where Treasury approval has been withheld.
§ Mr. BrittanThere has been one such request which was approved. In the event, the owner changed his mind and decided not to sell, so the acquisition did not take place.