§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has to assist those galleries which do not currently charge for admission. [74501]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe grant-in-aid allocations announced by my right hon. Friend on 14 December 1998,Official Report, columns 589–90, were designed to enable the non-charging national museums and galleries to continue to offer free admission.
The Government do not in general provide revenue funding for other non-charging museums, but other current initiatives should help—notably the Designated Museums Challenge Fund, which will make £15 million available over the next 3 years to the 50 non-national museums in England with collections of pre-eminent importance, and the challenge fund of £0.5 million in each of the next two years which is intended to promote education and IT initiatives in registered museums.
In addition, registered museums are encouraged to apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund's £7 million Museums and Galleries Access Fund, which is intended to assist with access initiatives throughout the sector.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the funds allocated by his Department to remove charges for entry to museums and galleries is planned to be made available to those institutions which do not currently charge. [74500]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe extra funding for the non-charging museums represents 44 per cent. in 1999–2000, and 30 per cent. in 2000–01, of the total amount made available to promote access at the national museums and galleries. Decisions about the funding of free access in 2001–02 have not yet been taken.