§ Mr. Freudasked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts whether he will make a statement regarding the extent of his Department's support for the Imperial war museum and his plans for the future thereof.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Imperial war museum receives an annual recurrent allocation from the Office of Arts and Libraries programme towards its staff salaries and other running costs net of estimated receipts, together with a separate grant-in-aid for purchases. The museum's original net Vote—Class X Vote 15—for these purposes in 1983–84 was £4.140 million, but the cash limit was subsequently decreased to £4.099 million following the July 1983 reductions. Its net allocation for 1984–85, subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates, will be £4.383 million. Provision for capital building and maintenance work at the museum is charged to the Office of Arts and Libraries programme and borne on Property Services Agency Votes.
My noble Friend the Minister for the Arts is currently considering the museum's proposals for the major renovation and redevelopment of its main building, and hopes to reach a decision shortly. The estimated cost of the whole scheme is £20 million, spread over eight years, and the proposal envisages that it might be undertaken in a series of self-contained stages. A decision on whether, and when, public funds can be provided towards part or all of the scheme will need to take into account the resources likely to be available for building work at the national museums and galleries, the competing needs of the other national institutions, and the scope for private contributions towards the cost.