PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ROYAL MAIL PROPOSED SALE OF PUBLIC HEPWORTH SCULPTURE (19 October 2005)

That this House deplores Royal Mail's attempt to remove Barbara Hepworth's Rosewall Sculpture from public display in Chesterfield and sell it to the highest bidder; supports Chesterfield Borough Council's campaign to retain this important feature of the local townscape; notes that the sculpture was bought by the Post Office in 1963 for an office development in the town centre, and has been listed by English Heritage as being of special architectural or historic interest; recognises the benefit derived from the public display of art in the local community; welcomes the decision announced on 20th October by Allan Leighton, Chair of the Royal Mail Group plc, to withdraw the St. Ives sculptor's work from auction and hopes this is in recognition that the Rosewall Sculpture was acquired by a Government body for the nation's enjoyment, not merely as an asset to be sold off; and calls upon the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help negotiate a solution with Royal Mail to retain this work of art for public display in Chesterfield, in accordance with the Department's proclaimed resonsibility to protect cultural objects of outstanding quality for the whole nation and adhere to its aim to improve the quality of life for all, not just the inhabitants of major cities with major art galleries.

Sponsored by:
Paul Holmes (Liberal Democrat)