HC Deb 18 December 1979 vol 976 cc111-2W
Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his estimate of how much finance has been spent by local authorities on the arts and museums during the years 1976–77, 1977–78 and 1979–80.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

Local authority expenditure on museums in 1976–77 and 1977–78 was£29.4 million and£29.0 million respectively. The estimated expenditure in 1978–79 and 1979–80 is£29.0 million and£29.5 million respectively. All these figures are at 1979 survey prices.

Comparable figures for the arts are not available, but local authority expenditure was probably between£20 million and£30 million in each of these years.