38. Mr. MartinTo ask the Minister for the Arts what priority he gives to the maintenance and refurbishment of the buildings under the responsibility of the Office of Arts and Libraries.
§ Mr. LuceI attach a high priority to the maintenance and refurbishment of the buildings occupied by the institutions for which my Department is responsible.
I have increased next year's grant-in-aid to the 11 national museums and galleries for their building and maintenance programme to some £49 million. This represents an increase of more than 20 per cent. on the equivalent figures for the current year.