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Government-sponsored Museums: Policy for Loans Abroad
Lord Freyberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 4 December (WA 127–128), whether they intend to draw up policy guidelines for loans abroad from government-sponsored museums that would clarify:
(a) what constitutes a "long-term" loan:
(b) whether the lending institution will be required to maximise income from the loan, or merely to recover its costs;
(c) whether they would require the museum to identify those items that would never be included in overseas loans of this nature; and
(d) whether there will be a limit on the number of objects that can be loaned abroad at any one time; and [HL1938]
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 4 December (WA 127–128), for how long the 350 items envisaged for loan to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, will be on loan; and [HL1939]
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 4 December (WA 127–128), whether the Royal Armouries intention is to maximise income from the planned loan of items to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, or merely to recover costs; and [HL1940]
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 4 December (WA 127–128), whether they will require the Royal Armouries to ensure that the items for long-term loan to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, are restricted to what would normally be held in their reserve collection. [HL1941]
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): There are no plans as at this stage to introduce policy guidelines on the loan of items from government-sponsored museums. This is a matter for the trustees of those museums with reference to their governing legislation.
The length of the proposed loan of individual objects, amounting to less than 1 per cent of the Royal Armouries entire collection, to the Owlsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, has yet to be determined. The terms and conditions of such a loan will be in line with the armouries' current loans policy and, as with other loans currently made by the armouries, will be monitored and reviewed regularly. The Royal Armouries' intention is that the planned loan will be on a strict cost recovery basis. However, the armouries will seek to use its presence in the United States to enhance its academic status and generate fundraising revenue at no expense to the taxpayer.
It is for the trustees of the Royal Armouries to determine which objects to lend from their collections in accordance with section 21 of the National Heritage Act 1983, and what terms and conditions to attach to such a loan.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether their examination of the marine archaeology legislation as part of the review of statutory controls proposed in The Historic
16 Jan 2002 : Column WA167
- Environment: A Force for Our Future (paragraph 4.38) will include a review of the presentation of historic vessels that are still afloat today.[HL2223]
Baroness Blackstone: Historic vessels still afloat are not covered by the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 or any other statutory controls, therefore a review of their presentation will not be included in the proposed review of marine archaeology legislation. However, following the important work done by the National Historic Ships Committee in producing its core collection and designated vessel lists, which have provided an invaluable guide to this aspect of our maritime heritage, we are currently considering a policy for the preservation of historic ships.
Scottish Constituencies: Westminster Elections
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the timetable for the planned reduction in the number of Scottish constituencies for Westminster elections under the Scotland Act 1998; and whether they expect it to take place in this Parliament.[HL2248]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The timetable will depend on when the Boundary Commission for Scotland reports on its review of the parliamentary constituencies to the Secretary of State for Scotland. The review was formally commenced on 29 June 2001. The Boundary Commission is required, by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to submit its report between December 2002 and December 2006. It is a matter for the commission when, within that time-scale, it does so.
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