HL Deb 09 July 1997 vol 581 cc82-4WA
Lord Freyberg

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there has been a year-by-year reduction in real terms since 1979 of their grant-in-aid to national museums; and, if so, whether they will list the amount of grant-in-aid for each year.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The grant-in-aid for the eleven national museums and galleries in England (excluding the Royal Armouries) in the financial year 1997–98 is £188.8 million, which represents a real terms increase of 78.6 per cent. since 1979–80. However, direct comparisons between years prior to 1988–89 and subsequent years are misleading because in 1988–89 the national museums' and galleries' funding was substantially increased to reflect their new responsibilities for the maintenance of their estates, which had previously rested with the Property Services Agency. The amounts of annual government grant-in-aid to national museums and galleries for each year, both in cash terms and real terms based on 1997–98 prices, are listed in the table set out below.

Grant-in-aid Actual Grant-in-aid in Real Terms
Financial Year £ million £ million
1979–80 39.4 105.7
1980–81 50.9 115.4
1981–82 54.6 112.9
1982–83 58.3 112.5
1983–84 62.2 114.7

Grant-in-aid Actual Grant-in-aid in Real Terms
Financial Year £ million £ million
1984–85 66.0 115.9
1985–86 67.7 112.7
1986–87 69.6 112.5
1987–88 79.0 121.2
1988–89 142.6 205.1
1989–90 145.4 195.4
1990–91 164.8 205.1
1991–92 181.4 212.2
1992–93 189.3 212.5
1993–94 189.9 207.2
1994–95 195.6 209.7
1995–96 195.2 204.1
1996–97 190.7 194.5
1997–98 188.8 188.8