§ Mr. Gerald Bowdenasked the Minister for the Arts whether he will announce funding for museums and galleries in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Luce[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986, c. 29]: I am now able to announce the allocations to museums and galleries within the arts budget for 1987–88.
Overall provision for museums and galleries in 1987–88 will be £107.78 million. This is an increase of £3.896 million or 3.8 per cent. over the present year.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates, I propose that the allocations to specific institutions shall be as indicated in the following table.
The allocations provide for a general, basic increase in running costs of 3.5 per cent. above the current year's grant. In the case of those museums and galleries whose building and maintenance programmes will be untied from the PSA from 1988–89, I am providing additional funds specifically to deal with the transitional costs of preparing for that change. I am further increasing the provisions of three institutions to take account of the opening next year of major gallery extensions: the Tate gallery's Clore gallery, the Victoria and Albert museum's theatre museum, and the National museums and galleries on Merseyside's maritime museum.
Given the pressing requirement to meet these specific needs, I have found it necessary to maintain in cash terms in 1987–88 the 1986–87 levels of purchase grants. Twenty seven million, four hundred and fifty thousand pounds will be devoted to the building and maintenance programme at present managed by the Property Services Agency and carried on their Vote. That represents an increase of 1.9 per cent. over the current year's provision.
I propose that the method of financing the Museums and Galleries Commission should be changed from direct Vote provision to grant-in-aid from the financial year 1987–88. I shall consult the Education, Science and Arts Select Committee on this, and also the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee. Subject to their views the main Supply Estimates will be presented to Parliament on a grant-in-aid basis.
The provision of £6.111 million for the Museums and Galleries Commission in 1987–88 represents an increase of some 3.4 per cent. over the grant allocation for 1986–87. Within this total, the Museums and Galleries Commission intends to introduce a scheme to encourage touring exhibitions, including those which involve the loan of items from national collections for display in other museums and galleries. I am anxious to encourage greater access to collections for people in all areas, and I welcome the Museums and Galleries Commission's initiative in this regard.
249WThe national museums and galleries make a splendid contribution to conserving and displaying our national heritage. With the provision I am making for next year and with the strengthened incentive to maximise receipts provided by the recent change to grant-in-aid status, I am confident that they will continue to do so.
£ million 1986–87 1987–88 Running costs Running costs Purchase Grant Votes 1–9 British Museum 11.945 12.538 1.400 Imperial War Museum 4.397 4.627 0.100 National Gallery 4.021 4.267 2.750 National Maritime Museum 4.257 4.472 0.205 National Portrait Gallery 1.504 1.589 0.310 Science Museum 8.796 9.214 0.375 Tate Gallery 3.967 4.682 1.815 Victoria and Albert 9.878 10.535 1.145 Wallace Collection 0.906 0.939 n/a Vote 10(i) Sir John Soane's 0.250 0.259 Museum of London 2.250 2.329 National Museums and
Galleries on
Merseyside
8.745 9.414 Greater Manchester
Museum of
Science and
Industry
1.075 1.252 Museums and Galleries Commission 5.909 6.111 Notes:
(i) includes provision for purchase grants, building and maintenance.