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Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL]

My Lords, I, too, wish to say a few words on these amendments. This part of the Bill is concerned with the problem of looted art, although that phrase is not used in the Bill. However, I think that we all know what it means. The purpose of this part is to protect museums and galleries that wish to exhibit foreign works of art which may have been looted. Obviously, they do not wish to be involved in expensive legal proceedings. The pressure for this part of the Bill comes from them. One can see their point, especially as this matter involves a departure from the ordinary rules of English law. But there is another side to the matter—those who claim to be the owners of the works of art in question. The last thing they want is for the works of art that they claim to be theirs to be exhibited in this country, and that exhibition to be used as a shop window for the sale of what they claim to be their works of art. As I understand it, there would be no way in which such a sale could be prevented. The purpose of the amendments, which is very beneficial, is to give some assurance to such people. My only suggestion, in welcoming the amendments, would be that the amendments might go a little further, and that when the regulations are made there should be a specific regulation that the protection will not be afforded to works of art coming to this country about which there is reasonable ground to believe they may have been looted. I am told—this point was made to me by someone who has made a considerable study of this subject and has had some personal experience—that that is the equivalent provision in the comparable German legislation. I just hope that when the regulations are made there could be some provision to that effect, to give further protection to the claimants.