§ Lord Freybergasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they noted Section 14(8) of the Republic of Ireland's National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 during their internal review of entry charges to public museums and galleries, and whether they will consider the incorporation of a similar provision into future United Kingdom legislation.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyI am aware that the statutory provision referred to has the effect of providing that the fixing of charges in respect of entry to national museums or libraries is subject to the consent of the Irish Parliament. The statutory position in the United Kingdom is that responsibility for deciding whether to charge for admission at the national museums and galleries rests with the Trustees of the institutions. The Government have no plans to change this through legislation.