Captain BENNasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that there is an increasing demand for facilities for evening lectures in the museums and art galleries in London by people who have to earn their own living and who are debarred from attending such lectures in the daytime; and whether, seeing that such facilities have been granted in the past on the basis of the whole of the expenses being borne by the audiences, and that the cost of such lectures, including all expenses incidental to the opening of the buildings in the evening, has been heavier than is desirable, he will consider whether relief can be granted in the form of some reduction of the overhead charges such as would enable such lectures to be given at a cost of not more than 2s. per head for each lecture?
446W
Mr. GUINNESSI have communicated with the various museums and art galleries in London, and find that the only lectures for which a charge has been made were those arranged at the British Museum for the staffs of certain banks. The charge, which was to defray the cost of all expenses, including light, staff, etc., came to a little over 2s. a head. There was a considerable falling off in attendance in the second season, and the lectures have now been discontinued. I am not aware that there is an increasing demand for evening lectures, and such evidence as I have been able to collect appears to show that such demand as there is comes from a very limited class. If definite proposals for evening lectures were again put forward they could only be agreed to on the distinct understanding that the fees should cover all expenses,i.e., that no expense should fall on the taxpayer at large.