HC Deb 18 April 2000 vol 348 c408W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on(a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. [117481]

Mr. Battle

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Arts, 4 April 2000,Official Report, columns 392-93W.

Most of the works of art on display in our missions abroad are on loan from the Government Art Collection. Some are purchased, as part of large capital projects, such as new Embassies. A comprehensive breakdown of expenditure on artwork purchased could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it has been recorded only as part of the overall capital project cost.

We have no readily available information on the years prior to 1994. The best figures we have for the years 1994–95 to 1998–99 indicate that under £1 million was spent on artwork over that period, less than 0.5 per cent. of the overall programme of capital expenditure on the estate of £215.7 million for the same period.

Upkeep costs are low, and not separately recorded. Expenditure on artworks will be separately identified in future under Resource Accounting and Budgeting.