HC Deb 27 November 2003 vol 415 cc425-6W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her 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 her Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by her Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997.[142353]

Estelle Morris

In the seven financial years since 2 May 1997 the Government Art Collection has spent a total of £679,657 from its Programme Vote on the purchase of paintings and sculpture. This breaks down as follows:

£
Financial year Paintings Sculpture
2 May 1997 to 1998 72,919 15,800
1998–99 61,594 8,460
1999–2000 84,879 38,588
2000–01 43,269 12,866
2001–02 73,922 9,488
2002–03 111,564 68,444
2003 to 2 December 2003 77,732 132

The single most expensive work of art cost £63,450; for security purposes it is not possible to give the details of this item.

The single most expensive work of art cost £63,450; for security purposes it is not possible to give the details of this item.

The Government Art Collection has sold no works of art from its holdings since May 1997.