§ Mr. Evennettasked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts whether it is intended that the criteria for granting export licences for works of art will be changed in the near future; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe criteria of national importance for judging whether such licences should be withheld or granted remain unchanged. However, following the recommendation of the reviewing committee on the export of works of art, a revised open general export licence will be issued on 7 May 1985 by the Department of Trade and Industry, under which the export of most works of art, antiques and collectors' items valued below £16,000 will be permitted without a specific export licence. The present value limit is £8,000.
Documents, manuscripts and archives, now extended to include architectural, engineering and scientific drawings drawn to scale by hand, require separate licences irrespective of value, as does archaeological material. Representations of British historical personages will from 7 May 1985 require a licence if valued from £4,000 up to £16,000 (the present limits are £2,000 and £8,000) although special arrangements exist to facilitate the export of the majority of these. New provisions for photographs, extending the control to cover photographic albums and increasing the figure at which a specific licence is needed to £400 (at present £200) will come into effect when a revised Export of Goods (Control) Order is published shortly.