HL Deb 21 September 1972 vol 335 cc1279-80

2.38 p.m.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will agree to a free day at the Scottish National Museums and Galleries and the Wallace Collection, if charges for admission to those institutions are introduced.

THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)

My Lords, neither the Scottish institutions nor the Wallace Collection have suggested alternative charging schemes whereby the revenue lost on free days could be recovered. If some museums have a free day it should not be at the expense of other museums or reduce the total sum collected below £1 million. I am shortly going to discuss the problem with the Chairman of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, while thanking the noble Viscount for that Answer, may I ask the Government whether they will not seriously consider allowing a free day, at the Trustees' discretion, with no extra charges on other days, at least for a trial period? The noble Viscount knows, as does the House, that it would not cost much money.

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, I have spent a great deal of time defending 10p as the basic charge. This is a very low entrance charge and I do not believe it will deter many people. If we start granting concessions, that 10p charge is in danger.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, would not the Government agree that this would cost only £60,000? Is the noble Viscount aware that his Department has already spent almost a quarter of that sum on erecting the now notorious huts outside two museums?

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, it is not just a question of what it would cost at one particular gallery; it is what would happen if this became general.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, is it too late to appeal to the Government to follow the example set by one of their Ministers who agreed to drop his plan for cost-related prescription charges, whatever the justification for them may have been, when he realised that it would antagonise many of the Government's supporters? I should like to appeal to the Government, if they will not abandon their idea of admission charges altogether, at least to postpone their imposition for as long as possible.

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, we are not imposing charges because we like charges but because we have a great many things to do to bring the museums into that state of efficiency and good amenity which everybody desires.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, does the Minister realise that one of the great advantages of free entry into our museums is that it enables people to visit them, even for a short spell, to escape from their worries outside? Surely even a small charge is apt to deter them from enjoying this tremendous cultural advantage.

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, we are catering for those people by offering season tickets for all 18 national galleries for £1 a year.