HC Deb 19 March 1996 vol 274 cc123-4W
Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which former Minister was presented with a reproduction of "A View of the Admiralty" in 1994; and what was the value of the reproduction. [20829]

Dr. John Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who provided the valuation of the photographic reproduction of "A View of the Admiralty" given by his Department's staff to a Minister as a leaving gift in 1994; and what was that valuation; [20907]

(2) how much was reimbursed to his Department by staff for the photographic reproduction "A View of the Admiralty", given to a Minister as a leaving gift in 1994. [20906]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Senior civil servants in my Department presented the reproduction "A View of the Admiralty" to my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Sir A. Hamilton) on his departure from the post of Minister of State for the Armed Forces in 1993. The Department's registrar assessed the reproduction as having only nominal value, a judgment confirmed by the Government art collection. The officers concerned contributed £70 to the Department's funds.

Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put his Department's art collection on public display. [20837]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Twenty-seven of my Department's most important works of art are on permanent display at the National Maritime Museum. My Department is receptive to requests from exhibition organisers and works have been loaned on occasions to temporary exhibitions. One work will be displayed in London in April and four will be shown in Manchester during the summer.