§ Mr. Ian Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that adequate numbers of qualified staff are available for conservation of museum objects; and if he will make a statement about training opportunities in this field.
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§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsIt is difficult ever to be satisfied about progress in the complex and exacting task of conserving museum objects. The national institutions employ 125 conservators, and a further five posts are allowed for in their current estimates. A total of 13 are being trained under the temporary scheme run by the National and Tate Galleries and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Apart from the national museums, the employment and training of conservators are the responsibility of those who administer the collections. I am able to assist local collections by way of a 50 per cent. grant to the expenses of the area museum councils. These grants have been increased from £123,820 in 1973–74 to £550,000 in the current year; the amount spent by the councils on conservation has increased even more rapidly from £85,446 in 1973–74 to £214,915 in 1974–75.
The recent report of the United Kingdom branch of the International Institute of Conservation represents a useful contribution to the further discussion and provision of information on this subject.
I am anxious that progress is made with available resources and that educational institutions should play their part, with museums, in meeting requirements.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people visited each of the museums and galleries for which he is responsible during 1974.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsThe public attendances reported by the museums and galleries concerned are given in the following table:
NATIONAL MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES—ATTENDANCES Institution 1974 British Museum 2,100,829 Science Museum 2,051,908 Victoria and Albert Museum 925,032 Bethnal Green Museum 135,279 Imperial War Museum 914,384 London Museum 392,120 National Gallery 1,629,379 National Maritime Museum 1,500,000 National Portrait Gallery 354,966 Tate Gallery 881,030 Wallace Collection 108,215 Total 10,992,142