§ Lord Freybergasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of the refusal of the export licence for de Troy's "Reading of Moliere" in favour of purchase by a private individual, (a) whether the purchaser is a United Kingdom subject; (b) what undertakings were received from the purchaser that the picture would be properly conserved and made available for public enjoyment; and (c) whether the purchaser is in any way inhibited from selling the picture to a foreign buyer and applying for an export licence at a higher price.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage (Lord Inglewood)A decision on the export licence application for de Troy'sLa Lecture de Moliè;re was deferred until after 11th January 1996 to give the opportunity for an offer to purchase to be made at or above the fair market price of £4,497,672. The primary purpose of the deferral was to allow time for a potential purchaser to come forward to keep the painting in the UK. An offer to purchase was accepted by the owner and, as a consequence, the licence application lapsed, the painting became the property of the purchaser and was consequently retained in the United Kingdom in accordance with the prime objective of the Waverley system. My department did not refuse the export licence. No written undertakings were required from the purchaser and my department has no knowledge of whether the purchaser is a UK subject. If the purchaser wishes to export the painting, then any new export licence application would be subject to the normal procedures.