HC Deb 23 February 1956 vol 549 cc568-9
43. Mr. Albu

asked the Minister of Education whether, in appointing a new Director of the Science Museum, he will raise the salary of the post to the same level as that of the Directors of the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Sir D. Eccles

I am not yet in a position to make any statement about the appointment of a new Director for the Science Museum.

Mr. Albu

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that this is an invidious distinction between these posts, and is out of date, in view of the present need for an increase in scientific and technical manpower? Does he not think that there is something completely out of date in an invidious distinction between the arts and the sciences disclosed by the respective salaries for these posts?

Sir D. Eccles

The question of salaries is one of the matters which I have in mind.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

Can the right hon. Gentleman give a single reason why there should be a difference between the salaries paid to these various directors?

Sir D. Eccles

I imagine that the other museums, at any rate for some time, were on a much larger scale and were considered to be more important. I think that the whole question requires looking at now.