ACCESS TO ART AND THE TURNER BEQUEST

Early day motion 1636, tabled 9 September 2004 by Austin Mitchell (Labour). Signed by 39 members.

That this House is concerned that the generous intentions of J.M.W. Turner's first bequest to the nation are not being fulfilled by the trustees of the National Gallery and that, as a result, the people of Britain who are owners of the art are being impoverished by lack of an informed access to an art bequest intended to enrich their lives; and calls for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to order the National Gallery to display properly Turner's bequest to explain and sustain his intentions for the benefit of the owners of the art and to review a trustee system which leaves the National Gallery unaccountable to the British people.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 4, Plaid Cymru 1.