HC Deb 06 May 1953 vol 515 cc29-30W
84. Mr. Dodds-Parker

asked the Minister of Education what action is being taken to give wide and more vigorous publicity to the activities of the Imperial Institute.

Miss Horsbrugh

Publicity for the Institute is primarily the responsibility of the Board of Governors. They are taking vigorous steps to make the educational facilities of the Institute more widely known to education authorities and teachers, both in this country and in the Commonwealth, and I am glad to say that figures for the sales of publications, school lectures, and attendances at the Institute for the first quarter of this year, all show satisfactory increases. Where special publicity is required there is close co-operation between the Institute's staff and the Press officer of my Department. The "Queen and the Commonwealth" exhibitions beginning on 27th May should give wide and continuous publicity to the activities of the Institute throughout the summer.

85. Mr. Dodds-Parker

asked the Minister of Education whether she will arrange for the grant to the Imperial Institute to be made on a quinquennial basis.

Miss Horsbrugh

This was one of the recommendations of the Tweedsmuir Committee of Inquiry. I shall of course be ready to consider the views of the Board of Governors on this or on other recommendations of the Committee, but, as at present advised, I am not aware of any reason why the Imperial Institute should be treated differently in this respect from other national museums and galleries.