§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on(a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. [142352]
§ Fiona MactaggartSince 1997 the Home Office has purchased seven paintings at a total cost of £525. These paintings were acquired for an office in Glasgow in August 2003 from a local visual arts company which specialises in developing projects for disabled adults and children, people with mental health problems, minority ethnic groups and homeless people. An art strategy is also being developed for the new Home Office in 2 Marsham Street. Part of the cost of this, which has not been finalised, will be met by the developer. No works of art have been sold since 1997.