HL Deb 24 January 1973 vol 338 cc153-4

2.40 p.m.

LORD STRABOLGI

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, since the possible loss to the Exchequer would be small, they would reconsider their objections to allowing card-holding members of the International Association of Art Critics and the International Council of Museums free entrance to the national museums and galleries, following the example and practice of other countries.

THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)

No, my Lords. In order to keep the price of admission low for everybody, concessions to particular groups and interests have had to be kept to a minimum. Many of the persons referred to by the noble Lord would be eligible for a Cultural Identity Card issued under the auspices of the Council of Europe, for the holders of which free admission is provided.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, in thanking the noble Viscount for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that the holders of Cultural Identity Cards are entitled to them as part of our Treaty obligations with fellow member States? Secondly, may I ask him whether he is aware of the letters that appeared to-day and also last Saturday in the Daily Telegraph from the past President of ICOM (who is also a former director of the National Gallery) and from the presidents of the art critics and artists sections in this country? These letters all deplore this position. May I ask whether the Government will reconsider this matter?—because otherwise (and they may not be aware of this) Britain will be the only civilised country to refuse such a concession.

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, the two letters to which the noble Lord has just referred, from the International Association of Art Critics and the International Council of Museums, exactly prove my point. There are a very great number of societies of this kind, all of which we should have to consider for the grant of concessions if we opened the door to the International Association of Art Critics. Really, my Lords, we have nothing to be ashamed of. We are keeping our entrance fee low, and we can do that only because we do not start concessions, one of which would lead to another.

VISCOUNT ADDISON

My Lords, can the noble Viscount say, roughly, how many people would be involved if such concessions were made by Her Majesty's Government?

VISCOUNT ECCLES

No, my Lords, I am afraid that without notice I cannot. No doubt there appear to be a large number of art critics; but if one counted them perhaps there would not be quite so many.

VISCOUNT ADDISON

My Lords, that is the point I am making.