---
title: "Somerset House Act 1984"
id: 9a008ddf-02bf-44dd-aa39-e6e356795f48
authority: uk
place: "United Kingdom"
applies_also_from: []
kind: statute
in_force: true
publisher_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/21
attribution: "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
solon_url: https://solon.orangecat.ch/law/9a008ddf-02bf-44dd-aa39-e6e356795f48
language: en
in_force_from: 2008-05-07
date_basis: publisher
status: consolidated
source_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/21/data.xml
read_on: 2026-11-08
sha256: d0b4462fc46df9b2b173e8400dd2f6ca3c352892f9b625a661ab96096de6da1c
provisions: 3
---

# Somerset House Act 1984

## Title and introductory text {#prelims}

Somerset House Act 1984
1984 c. 21
An Act to confer leasing powers on the Crown in respect of the Fine Rooms and other parts of Somerset House with a view to their use for artistic, cultural or other purposes.
[26th June 1984]
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

## 1 Leasing of Somerset House for artistic, cultural or other purposes. {#section-1}

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government may grant a lease of any part of Somerset House for such period as he thinks fit.
(2) Any lease under this section of the part of Somerset House known as the Fine Rooms shall be on terms requiring their use for artistic or cultural purposes with provision for public access, whether on payment or otherwise.
(3) In determining whether, and on what terms, to lease any part of Somerset House the Secretary of State shall have regard to the architectural importance of the building and to the preservation of public access to its courtyard.

## 2 Short title. {#section-2}

This Act may be cited as the Somerset House Act 1984.