The Spoliation Advisory Panel advises the United Kingdom Government on claims for cultural property looted during the Nazi era. The Panel is designated by the Secretary of State under Section 3 of the Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act 2009 to advise on claims made by former owners or their heirs (or in some cases, states or public bodies) for the return of, or compensation for the loss of, items that have come into the effective possession of institutions in the UK, for example artworks in the national collections. It deals with cases where the objects were allegedly lost through seizure or forced sales during the Nazi era, or through looting or other unlawful transactions during the Second World War. It provides non-binding recommendations for return or for ex gratia payments.