Cultural heritage
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on cultural heritage including ancient monuments and historic buildings. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 13.12.2012 | The Parthenon sculptures |
| This note gives an outline history of the Parthenon Sculptures, formerly known in the UK as "the Elgin Marbles", and the long-running debate about whether or not they should be returned to Greece from the British Museum. | |
| 02.07.2012 | VAT and Churches |
| This note examines how construction work for churches is treated for VAT in the UK, proposals for reform in this area, and the Government's recent proposals in Budget 2012 to amend the VAT liability of alteration work on listed buildings. It also gives details of the current grant scheme for church repairs. | |
| 02.07.2012 | VAT on historic building repairs |
| This note sets out the VAT treatment of construction work and the UK's discretion in setting VAT rates with respect to European VAT law, before discussing the debate there has been on cutting VAT on historic building repair and recent proposals to withdraw the zero rate that applies to alteration work on listed buildings. | |
| 26.04.2012 | Listed Buildings in England |
| This note explains the rules for listed buildings and describes possible changes to the regime. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 23.06.2009 | Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Bill: Committee stage report |
| This Bill (formerly known as the Holocaust (Stolen Art) Restitution Bill, is a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Andrew Dismore. It gives the trustees of various public museums in Great Britain the power to transfer any cultural objects currently held in their collections which had been misappropriated by the Nazi regime between 1939 and 1945, so that they can be restored to the lawful owners or their heirs. This is a report on the Committee stage of the Bill. | |
| 12.03.1998 | The Millennium Dome |
| The Millennium Dome. House of Commons Library Research Paper 98/32 |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 06.06.2011 | Funding of the arts and heritage. |
| Government response. Department for Culture, Media and Sport report [Commons] | |
| 22.03.2011 | Funding of the arts and heritage. |
| Culture Media and Sport Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 14.12.2009 | Promoting participation with the historic environment. |
| Public Accounts Committee report [Commons] | |
| 01.12.2009 | The proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Culture and other fields) Order 2009.... |
| Welsh Affairs Select Committee report [Commons] | |
| 27.04.2009 | Maintaining the occupied royal palaces. |
| Public Accounts Committee report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 24.01.2012 | FORTH BRIDGE WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS |
| That this House is pleased to note the decision by Network Rail to support a bid to win World Heritage Site status for the Forth Bridge; recognises that the inclusion of the Forth Bridge ... | |
| 11.01.2012 | FUTURE OF THE WEDGWOOD MUSEUM |
| That this House notes with grave concern the decision of the High Court on 19 December 2011 to allow the contents of the UNESCO-listed Wedgwood Museum to be sold to service a pension ... | |
| 30.11.2011 | STEVE ROBERTSON MBE |
| That this House expresses sadness at the death of Scottish comedy star Steve Robertson MBE; believes that he will be remembered with great affection as one-third of the Scotland The ... | |
| 21.11.2011 | ILKLA MOOR BAHT 'AT |
| That this House welcomes the campaign of Otley Brass Band to save the Yorkshire anthem, the Ilkla Moor Baht 'at, by teaching the song to youngsters throughout the county; notes the ... | |
| 03.11.2011 | DISTILLER OF THE YEAR |
| That this House congratulates Chivas Brothers on winning Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge Awards; notes that the company also collected gold medals for three ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 15.10.2012 | Debate on 18 October: Scott Expedition to Antarctica and Scientific Legacy |
| This Library Note provides background reading for the debate to be held on Thursday, 18 October: 'the centenary of the Scott Expedition to Antarctica and of the United Kingdom's enduring scientific legacy and ongoing presence there'. |
