§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the retention of the Elgin Marbles in the United Kingdom; [34024]
(2) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the repatriation of antiquities from UK national museums and galleries to their country of origin; [34022]
(3) if the Government will make it their policy not to allow the Elgin Marbles to leave the custody of the British Museum. [34023]
§ Mr. FisherIt is for the Government's policy that the Parthenon sculptures should remain in the British Museum. More generally, the retention or disposal of objects in our national museums and galleries is a matter for the trustees of those institutions. However, the trustees can only dispose of objects within the scope of their statutory powers, and in many cases those powers limit trustees' discretion to the dispersal of articles which have become useless by reason of damage or are otherwise unsuitable for retention in the collection. The Government have no powers to intervene and no plans to change the law.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations the Government have received regarding the Elgin Marbles. [34025]
§ Mr. FisherI regularly receive representations about the Parthenon sculptures. Most of these are from individual members of the public either directly or via their Member of Parliament.