§ 40. Mr. Adleyasked the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement following his recent visit to the National Railway Museum.
§ The Minister for the Arts (Mr. Richard Luce)I was pleased to be able to visit the National Railway Museum on 27 November and to meet the keeper and some of his 769 staff. The museum is a marvellous, living, record of the achievements of the British railway industry, in a city that boasts a variety of excellent museums, both public and independent.
§ Mr. AdleyI shall switch quickly from nuclear to steam power. Does my right hon. Friend accept that the size of the exhibits at York and the space that they need puts that museum in a different position from museums which, for instance, hang pictures on walls? Museums such as the Science Museum and the NRM need not only more space but more facilities to carry out their job properly. As the working locomotives at York are seen by many thousands of people far beyond York, will my right hon. Friend bear all those things in mind when the museum's allocation of funds is considered?
§ Mr. LuceI am grateful to my hon. Friend. I think that the whole House knows of his interest in this subject and, indeed, of the role that he plays. Another important aspect is that we are now seeing the development of the national museums and galleries at stations outside London. The NRM at York is one example. The National Museum of Film, Photography and Television in Bradford is another.
§ Mr. WrigglesworthIs the Minister aware that Stockton borough council is considering a proposition to open a transport museum on a site on the line of the old Stockton-Darlington railway? Will he encourage co-operation by the nearby National Railway Museum at York with Stockton borough council in bringing that to fruition?
§ Mr. LuceThat is only partly on my patch, but I shall draw the hon. Gentleman's points to the attention of the Science Museum.