Parliamentary activity

Proposals for further tax incentives
In November 2005, we submitted to HM Treasury two proposals for modest changes to taxation which would benefit both living authors and public collecting bodies. We were delighted at the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, below, and continue to pursue these proposals with Treasury officials.

The Art Fund’s Living and Giving campaign for further tax incentives to encourage lifetime donations of cultural objects and funding for acquisitions complements the proposals put forward by the Working Group.

House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
The Select Committee published its report of the inquiry into Caring for our Collections. The report includes a section on Authors' manuscripts, referring to evidence submitted by the Working Group. The Committee recommends the extension of the douceur to income tax, and that the Acceptance in Lieu scheme should be extended to benefit living creators. 25 June 2005

On 21 February 2007, representatives from the Working Group had an informal meeting with Select Committee members, drawing particular attention to:

• the richness of archives, their support of other arts such as film and biography, and value to creative teaching and writing at all ages;
• the concerns surrounding the acquisition of archives and possible impact of the two tax incentives proposed to HM Treasury;
• the work of GLAM (the Group for Literary Archives and Manuscripts) in formalising collection development policies throughout the UK.

Other relevant written evidence submitted to the Caring for our Collections Inquiry:

Uncorrected transcript of oral evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee from the British Library and National Archives. 31 October 2006

Minutes of oral evidence session with David Lammy, then Secretary of State, before the Select Committee, relating to the Caring for our Collections Inquiry. 23 January 2007

Minutes of oral evidence session with the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, Acceptance in Lieu Panel, Sir Nicholas Goodison, 9 January 2007. The session includes evidence from the Heritage Lottery Fund (from Q240) and from the Art Fund (Q268).

Reports and Consultations
DCMS publish 2006-07 annual report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest

Parliamentary debates
Lord Howarth raises the Working Group’s concerns in a debate on the Government’s Draft Legislative Programme, House of Lords. 26 July 2007

Debate on Museums and Galleries, House of Lords. 30 October 2006

Adjournment Debate on Museums and Galleries (Funding).
Sir Patrick Cormack, House of Commons. 11 October 2006

Lord Harrison (Oral Question) on British Authors: Archives, House of Lords. 13 December 2005

Viscount Eccles tables a debate on museums and galleries, House of Lords. 8 June 2005

Heritage Lottery Fund - Mark Fisher MP asks how much the HLF spent in 2004-05 on acquisitions, House of Commons. 6 June 2005

Goodison Review - Mark Fisher MP asks the Chancellor when a response would be published to Sir Nicholas Goodison’s report on the acquisition of works of art, and Chief Secretary of the Treasury responds. House of Commons. 6 June 2005