Museums and Galleries (Charges)

HC Deb 25 January 1972 vol 829 cc422-3W

Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government's request to the governing bodies of national museums and galleries to exercise their powers in imposing charges is limited to a three-year period.

Mr. van Straubenzee

No. My noble Friend has however undertaken in another place that the Government wilt review the working of the charging system after three years.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which societies or associations, national or international, have been agreed between the governing bodies of the national museums and galleries and her Department as qualifying for exemption for their membership from the proposed admission charges either to all the institutions or to individual institutions.

Mr. van Straubenzee

Members paying a minimum annual subscription of £2 to a duly constituted society of friends of a national museum or gallery will be admitted free to that institution. Members of the National Art-Collections Fund or the Contemporary Art Society will be admitted free to all the national museums and galleries. Holders from overseas of the cultural identity card issued by member countries of the Council of Europe will be admitted free to all the institutions.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when accurate statistics will be available of the operation of the proposed charging system at the national museums and galleries; and whether consultations with the relevant governing bodies will be undertaken after the end of the experimental three-year period and before further decisions are reached.

Mr. van Straubenzee

Financial results will be reported to Parliament through the usual procedures for Estimates and Appropriation Accounts. Other statistics of the first year's working will be compiled as soon as possible after the end of the year. There will be consultation with the governing bodies throughout the period of the charging scheme, but it would be inaccurate to describe the first three years as experimental.