§ 3. Mr. David Chaytor (Bury, North) (Lab)What level of financial support his Department allocated to regimental museums in the last three financial years; and what plans he has to increase such support. [156731]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence(Mr. Ivor Caplin)The Ministry of Defence funds staff costs of those military museums that are associated with the regiments and corps of the Army. In addition, we provide property maintenance, rates and utility costs for museums within MOD premises. As those costs are not separately identified, I am not in a position to provide a figure for the overall level of financial support. There are, however, no current plans to increase the funding for regimental museums.
§ Mr. ChaytorI should like to tell the Minister about the excellent work done by everyone associated with the Lancashire Fusiliers regimental museum in my constituency. I should also like to mention the museum's ambitious expansion plans. It is due to move to more central and more accessible premises in the near future. I ask him, as we move to the difficult and final stage of the negotiations, to take a personal interest in the project, so that the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the people of Bury can have a museum of which they can be proud.
§ Mr. CaplinI am pleased to congratulate my hon. Friend on his efforts to ensure that that museum is developed. I understand that a grant of £50,000 has been provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund in anticipation 599 of a larger grant. I am always interested to know about the progress that we are making on regimental museums, and when I am next in the north-west, I shall give him the chance to show me around the museum in his constituency.
§ Dr. Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park) (LD)The Minister might remember that I wrote to him recently about the Medloc train, which was used to transport soldiers going home on leave e across Europe during the second world war, and which many of them remember very fondly. Will he reconsider his decision not to provide funds for the National Army Museum to preserve a small part of that train, perhaps its restaurant car, as a memorial of that splendid effort during the second world war?
§ Mr. CaplinThe National Army Museum, as the hon. Lady well knows, is a royal charter body and a registered charity that already receives the bulk of its running costs, including a purchase grant, via a grant in aid from the Ministry of Defence. Collections policy, however, is a matter for and responsibility of the museum's council. From the number of letters that I have signed on the matter, I am aware of the Medloc campaign on that carriage, in which hon. Members of both Houses have been involved. I have spoken to the museum, which advises me that it has done its best to respond constructively, but that it does not want to acquire the carriage for its collection or to display it in the National Army Museum.
§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab/Co-op)I congratulate the Minister on his superb answers, not only on museums but on anniversaries and Arctic convoys. I know that he and I would be ruled out of order if we were to discuss Tory policies, but let us just suppose that our Chancellor contemplated adopting the policies of the shadow Chancellor. Would all these matters not be put in jeopardy?
§ Mr. CaplinI always welcome my right hon. Friend's contribution, and I certainly share his views on the shadow Chancellor's policies.
§ Mr. Robert Key (Salisbury) (Con)The museum of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, the finest regimental museum in the country, receives no direct financial assistance from the Ministry of Defence but has benefited from the Treasury's gift aid scheme. However, that is about to be removed from museums, including regimental museums. What representations has the Minister made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the impact on regimental museums of that mingy treatment? If he has made none, will he do so?
§ Mr. CaplinI thought that gift aid was a policy of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced by the Labour Government. However, I shall certainly look at the point that the hon. Gentleman makes on regimental museums.