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Dept of National Heritage

Answer

Mr. Faulds: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 11 July, Official Report, column 250, if the valuations of the works of art listed are equivalent to the figures which have to be offered by a United Kingdom museum or gallery in order to warrant a definitive withholding by her of an export licence, or whether the sums required may be varied; and if she will list the items where the figure may vary indicating the factors underlying the variation.[37805] Mr. Sproat: [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The valuations listed in the answer of 11 July are the fair market prices accepted by Ministers following recommendations made by the reviewing committee on the export of works of art. The principle behind each price is that the vendor should receive a compensating offer from a UK buyer which should not put him in a worse position than had he sold to a foreign buyer. Offers to purchase by a UK museum or gallery must accord with this principle. The listed valuations exclude any value added tax liability, and they may be varied by additional elements including the buyer's premium, the dealer's commission and reasonable conservation costs. They may also be varied by agreement between the parties. My Department is aware that there is a VAT liability to be added to the valuation of the "ideal" bust by Antonio Canova. A private treaty sale may also be negotiated between a vendor and a UK museum or gallery for a figure different from that listed. My Department is aware of negotiations for such a sale in the case of the Il Guercino painting "Erminia finding the wounded Tancred".

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

37805; 281 c718-9W

Session

1995-96

Subjects

Artworks Export controls