§ 59. Mr. Wyattasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, in considering the Museum and Gallery Estimates for 1953-54, he will allow a grant sufficient to enable museums and galleries to restore supervisory and attendant staff which they were obliged to cut owing to the inadequacy of their grant in 1952.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn view of the pressing need for economy in Government expenditure and manpower there can be no question of an automatic restoration of the staff cuts. As my right hon. Friend stated on the 21st October, 1952, increases of staff to provide for the normal opening of the Tate Gallery and the Wallace Collection were authorised last year. In authorising staff for this year my right hon. Friend has considered the case of each museum and gallery on its merits, bearing in mind, in particular, the desirability, in Coronation Year, of enabling the authorities concerned to restore public facilities to their previous level. Details of the provision proposed will be found in the Estimates to be published next month.