§ Dr. Strossasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education by what authority a local authority in England or Wales can provide, maintain or assist a museum.
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§ Sir E. BoyleThe information asked for is as follows
1. A museum may be provided by a local authority under the Public Libraries Acts, 1892 to 1919, if the authority is a public library authority under those Acts: two or more library authorities may combine for this purpose.2. A museum may be maintained by a local authority—
- (a) under the Public Libraries Acts, 1892 to 1919, if the authority is a public library authority and the museum has been provided under those Acts or under the Museums and Gymnasiums Act, 1891: two or more public library authorities may combine for this purpose;
- (b) under Section 268 of the Local Government Act, 1933, if the authority is a public library authority and accepts the museum as a gift: where the museum is a charity, acceptance involves the appointment of the authority as a trustee of the charity.
3. A museum may be assisted by a local authority—
- (a) under Section 16 (2) of the Public Libraries Act, 1892, if the authority is a public library authority, the museum is a charity and the consent of the Minister of Education is given. (In practice. this power is exercisable only by authorities which are borough or urban district councils. In other cases, a poll of the electors is required.)
- (b) under Section 126 of the Local Government Act, 1948, if the authority is a county council outside London, the museum is maintained by a county district council in that county and the consent of the Minister of Housing and Local Government is given;
- (c) under Section 136 of the Local Government Act, 1948, if the authority is not a parish Council and the consent of the Minister of Housing and Local Government is given;
- (d) under the Education Acts, 1944 to 1953, if the authority is a local education authority and the assistance is related to educational services provided by the museum.