§ 36. Mr. CohenTo ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the level of backlog of repairs and maintenance in theatre and museum buildings.
§ Mr. MellorI take account of the building and maintenance needs and priorities set out in the corporate plans provided for me annually by the national musuems and galleries which I sponsor. Most of these institutions have now carried out extensive studies of their buildings since untying from the Property Services Agency in 1988. It is for other relevant funding bodies, including local authorities, to determine the requirements for the buildings within their responsibilities.
I understand that the Theatres Trust is carrying out a small pilot study to establish whether a systematic examination of the national state of theatres could be undertaken at reasonable cost.