TUTANKHAMUN EXHIBITION (Hansard, 1 May 1972)

§ VISCOUNT NORWICH
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the quite extraordinary popularity of the Tutankhamun Exhibition at the British Museum and the consequent difficulty of enjoying it at leisure, they will discuss with the Trustees the possibility of keeping the Exhibition open until 2 a.m., making such additional charges as will generously compensate those members of the Museum staff thereby affected.

§ THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)
My Lords, it is for 561 the Trustees alone to decide whether longer opening hours for the exhibition are desirable and practicable, having regard to strain upon the staff and other factors.

§ VISCOUNT NORWICH
My Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for that reply. Does he not think that the strain on the staff is a matter which could possibly be dealt with by giving the staff the adequate recompense, or the more than adequate recompense, which I suggest? Would he not also agree that although, naturally, the ultimate decision must rest with the Trustees, this is a matter which directly concerns everyone in this country and one in which the Government might legitimately intervene in this way?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, while of course wishing to leave the decision entirely to the Trustees, I know that this exhibition is in the middle of the Museum and therefore the security of the whole Museum has to be looked after while the exhibition is open. I also know that security depends on the staff being alert, and if they had this extra strain put on them I doubt whether they would be. Further, at 2 a.m. there is no public transport to take them home.

§ LORD STRABOLGI
My Lords, would the Government use their good offices to see whether the opening time for the exhibition could be extended within the normal Museum hours?

§ LORD TREVELYAN
My Lords, is the noble Viscount aware that while the Trustees would be prepared to consider any proposal, there are very great difficulties indeed in extending the hours of the Museum, owing to the strain on the warders, who are now on duty for eleven hours a day, and also, as the Minister pointed out, because of the requirements of security in the whole Museum while the exhibition is open?

§ BARONESS LEE OF ASHERIDGE
My Lords, we very much appreciate what the Chairman of the Trustees has just told us. In view of the great public demand, is there any way of appointing additional members of the staff and so easing things? Would the Government be prepared to make a financial contribution to that end?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, finance does not enter into it because the whole cost of the exhibition is met out of the admission fees and the sale of catalogues. It is hoped that a good profit will be made to give to the Temples at Philae. I think that I must leave staff matters to the Trustees.

§ LORD ROBBINS
My Lords, I welcome the disposition of the noble Viscount to leave matters to the Trustees. But would it be illegitimate to suggest that this is a situation which might be coped with if there were more expensive days as well as less expensive days, the present position being that access to the Museum seems to be at the disposal chiefly of those who have time to spend rather than money?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, I am very glad to have the support of the noble Lord for raising the charges, but I think that when there is such a public demand and the entrance fee is 50p, it would be looked at rather badly if it were even higher than that on one day.

§ VISCOUNT NORWICH
My Lords, would not the noble Viscount agree that so far as security is concerned—and I quite understand that the exhibition is in the middle of the Museum—the cost of putting up trellis around the exhibition room which could be padlocked at night could easily be recovered the first time that the exhibition was opened?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, we are getting interesting suggestions and details. May I suggest to the noble Viscount, Lord Norwich, that he has a word with the noble Lord, Lord Trevelyan?

§ LORD LEATHERLAND
My Lords, does not the noble Viscount think that if the exhibition were kept open until 2 a.m., as is suggested in the Question, at that hour many of the visitors might be in very high spirits so that very special precautions to protect the exhibits might have to be taken?

§ LORD STRABOLGI
My Lords, may I ask the Viscount to be good enough to answer my supplementary question? It was whether the Government would 563 use their good offices to see whether arrangements could be made, in co-operation with the Egyptian Government and Trustees of the British Museum, for the period of the exhibition to be extended within the normal hours.

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, I apologise for not remembering the noble Lord's supplementary question. The period is part of the Treaty made between the Egyptian Government and the British Museum and the Treaty would have to be renegotiated before a further extension could be made. If that were possible I should be very glad.

§ LORD KILMANY
My Lords, if consideration is given to renegotiating with the Egyptian Government, may I ask my noble friend whether at the same time consideration can he given to having this exhibition in Scotland for a period?

§ LORD CHAMPION
What about Wales?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, I fully appreciate my noble friend's desire to see this exhibition outside London, but the security problem involved is very great indeed and I think that such negotiations would meet with great difficulties.

§ LORD TREVELYAN
My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he would not consider it sensible not to consider possible extension of the exhibition until some time—shall we say four months or so?—has elapsed, when we can see how things go?

§ VISCOUNT ECCLES
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord.