§ Lord Faulkner of Worcesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which museums and art galleries have abolished charges in the last two years; and what effect the abolition of such charges has had on admission numbers. [HL5692]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries which abolished charges for admission to their permanent collections on 1 December 2001 (22 November 2001 for the V&A), are set out in the list below. This followed the introduction of free access for children on 1 April 1999 and for people over 60 on 1 April 2000.
Since April 2000 child visits to ex-charging museums and galleries sponsored by the DCMS have increased by 713,000 (14 per cent). Over the same period, there were an additional 532,000 visits from people over 60, a 23 per cent increase.
In the seven-month period December 2001 to June 2002 following the introduction of free entry visits to these museums and galleries increased by 2,700,000, a 62 per cent growth on the same period in the previous year. This is a spectacular endorsement of the Government's free access policy.
In addition, the National Coal Mining Museum for England introduced free admission on 8 April 2002, and the Imperial War Museum of the North in Trafford opened free in July 2002.
Ex-Chargers
- Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road)
- V&A (South Kensington, and Theatre Museum, Covent Garden)
- Natural History Museum (South Kensington & Tring)
- National Museum of Science & Industry (South Kensington & National Railway Museum, York)
- Royal Armouries
- National Maritime Museum
- Museum of London
- Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester
- National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside
§ Lord Faulkner of Worcesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What criteria were applied to the museums and art galleries that were permitted to abolish admission charges; and whether it is envisaged that other establishments may abolish charges if they meet these criteria. [HL5693]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe Government's pledge, first made in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review, was to ensure universal free access to the national museums and galleries. The VAT refund scheme, announced by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2001 Budget was designed in order to help deliver that pledge. Only the national museums and galleries that are free, funded directly by Government, and to which that 205WA commitment to free access applied, are eligible for the refund scheme.