59. Sir F. HALLasked the hon. Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he will consider the possibility of making a small charge on certain days of the week for admission to museums, picture galleries, and other similar places of public interest under Government control, to assist in meeting the expenses of upkeep of those institutions, as is now being done in France?
§ 85. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Trustees of the British Museum have been consulted regarding the desirability of making a charge for entrance to the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, and the Bloomsbury Museum; 459 and, if so, what is the opinion of the Trustees on this proposal?
Mr. YOUNGThe practice of charging a small admission fee at museums and galleries on certain days in the week, on the lines now adopted in France, has obtained for a considerable number of years in various instances, and is now being further extended, in accordance with the recommendation on page 89 of the Third Report of the Geddes Committee. Details of the receipts from this source will be found in the annual Estimates. Protests were received from the Trustees of the British Museum on 16th March and 12th April last against the insertion in the Economy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill of a Clause empowering them to make such charges, subject to due exceptions. The Treasury pointed out that it was difficult to differentiate between the British Museum and other museums and galleries, and that experience had shown that the system did not lead to bad results.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWill my hon. Friend publish to the House the terms of the protest of April last of the Trustees of the British Museum? Is he aware that the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, is of quite a different character from a picture gallery?
Mr. YOUNGThe first consideration I will convey to my right hon. Friend. As to the second, I do not see any relevant reasons for differentiating between the institutions.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs it not a fact that a large number of school teachers take their pupils to South Kensington Museum for nature study and things of that sort, and in future will not all that educational work of value be swept away?
Sir F. HALLDoes the hon. Gentleman notice that in my question I have suggested that on certain days reasonable charges should be made in order that many of the expenses might be paid by visitors, and that the institutions should remain freely open on other days?
Mr. YOUNGThe hon. and gallant Member's intervention supplies the answer to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormesby-Gore). There is no intention of making a charge on every day. 460 The intention is to make a charge only on certain days.