Public Access To Privately-Owned Works Of Art

EDM number 1350 in 1994-95, proposed by Gordon Prentice on 04/07/1995.

That this House notes that 704 individuals own works of art which have been granted conditional exemption from inheritance tax or capital transfer tax on the grounds that the objects may be viewed by members of the public; further notes that this is to be arranged by appointment only and the public may be asked for a viewing fee; regrets that the register of exempt works of art can be consulted only at four locations in the United Kingdom; notes that no central records are kept of how many people have exercised their right to view these works of art and that the viewing arrangements are for agreement between the owner and the prospective viewer; considers that individuals who receive this valuable tax relief on works of art they own should be obliged to publicise more widely access arangements; and in this connection and as an example, would draw attention to the fact that the Honourable R. Fermor-Hesketh of 70 Drayton Gardens, London SW10 owns a set of three Brussels Garden tapestries and a Beauvais 17th century Charte de France tapestry panel held at an unspecified location in Lancashire and that his telephone number is ex-directory.

This motion has been signed by a total of 48 MPs.