§ Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts when he expects to announce the individual allocation to the national museums and galleries for purchase grants and other running costs for 1984–85.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe recurrent provision for the national museums and galleries which, subject to parliamentary approval of the Estimates, my noble Friend the Minister for the Arts proposes to make for 1984–85 within the total of £58,227,000 given in the earlier statement of 20 December 1983 is as follows:
Original 1983–84 allocation £ million
1984–85 allocation £ million
British Museum 12.536 12.865 Imperial War Museum 4.140 4.383 National Gallery 6.797 7.024 National Maritime Museum 4.080 4.304 National Portrait Gallery 1.789 1.866 Science Museum 7.728 8.492 Tate Gallery 5.375 5.595 Victoria and Albert Museum 10.456 11.397 Wallace Collection 0.791 0.823 Sir John Soane's Museum 0.165 0.200 Museum of London 1.229 1.278 Total 55.086 58.227 Within these figures, provision is made for purchase grants-in-aid at the same underlying level in 1984–85 as in 279W 1983–84, before allowing for the incidence of revotes; for pay and price movements in line with the Government's assumptions for other running costs; and for extra resource for conservation and other special needs. In addition, the 1984–85 allocations allow for the transfer to the Science museum and Victoria and Albert museum of provision for certain supplies formerly borne on Property Services Agency Votes, and for the return of the Slide library from the Museums and Galleries Commission to the Victoria and Albeit museum. As usual, the net allocations for individual institutions take account of the incidence of estimated receipts and of revotes. Provision is made separately on the Property Services Agency Vote, and charged against the arts and libraries programme, for capital building, maintenance and related expenditure for the national museums and galleries. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates, this provision will total £25 million in 1984–85, and will enable priority to be given to an enlarged programme of repairs, maintenance and refurbishment.