UK has no plans to permanently return Parthenon sculptures to Greece: Report

British government backs talks on potential loan agreement but refuses to amend legislation preventing permanent return, according to Ekathimerini

The UK government has no plans to amend legislation that prevents the Parthenon sculptures from being permanently returned to Greece, while leaving open the possibility of a loan arrangement, according to a report Wednesday. Greek newspaper Ekathimerini reported that Culture Minister Baroness Twycross outlined the government’s position during a House of Lords debate Tuesday, as several lawmakers pressed for the ancient artifacts to be returned to Athens. “The government doesn’t have any plans to change the law or introduce legislation to permit the Parthenon sculptures to be returned permanently,” Twycross said. She nevertheless expressed support for ongoing talks between the British Museum and Greek authorities concerning a potential loan. The sculptures, commonly referred to in Britain as the Elgin Marbles, were taken from the Acropolis in the early 1800s, and Athens argues that their removal was “unlawful.” The British Museum Act of 1963 places strict limits on the institution’s ability to transfer ownership of items in its collection. During the debate, several members of the House of Lords challenged the idea of lending the sculptures to Greece instead of returning them outright. Conservative lawmaker Viscount Hailsham, however, cautioned that allowing their permanent return could create an “unfortunate precedent” for other collections held by British museums.