§ Dr. BlackburnTo ask the Minister for the Arts if he will take steps to prevent the sale to the United States of 23 items of glass currently exhibited in the Thomas Webb museum, Stourbridge; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Luce[holding answer 12 November 1987]: Privately-owned property such as this glass may be sold to an overseas buyer; I have no powers to restrict such a sale. However, under our export licensing regulations, each item would require a licence from the Department of Trade and Industry if it were over £16,000 in value, and over 50 years of age. Otherwise, those valued individually at less than £16,000 may be exported under an open general export licence which requires a declaration to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise at the port.