§ 61. Sir N. MOOREasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the recent increase in the price of admission to Kew Gardens; and whether he will, if not able to reinstate the previous conditions of admittance, at least reduce the price governing the admission of young children and those in charge of them?
Mr. GUINNESSYes, Sir. The recent reimposition of the penny admission fee was made on the recommendation of the Select Committee on Estimates, who pointed out that the abolition of the charge in April, 1924, had resulted in a loss to the Revenue of about £5,000 a year without, apparently, any appreciable increase in the number of visitors to the gardens. In the circumstances, I regret that I do not see my way to comply with either of the suggestions made by my hon. Friend in the second part of his question.
§ Sir N. MOOREDoes the right hon. Gentleman think that a charge or 4d. for a woman who takes her baby into Kew Gardens, as against 3d. charged before, is likely to add to the revenue?
Mr. GUINNESSThere was a charge of 3d. for a perambulator, even when the public were admitted free. If we left the price for a perambulator at 3d. and 1d. was charged to the public, it would mean that the attendant on the perambulator would get in for nothing.