HC Deb 23 March 1979 vol 964 c267W
Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, having regard to the fact that the English 82.9 per cent. share of the special fund of £2 million at 1977 public expenditure survey prices proposed for assisting museums with the preservation of the national heritage in 1979–80, in accordance with paragraph 20 on page 80 in volume II of Cmnd. 7049 of January 1978, amounted to slightly over £3 million as revalued by 86 per cent. to take account of current prices, and bearing in mind that not more than slightly over £1 million, being 20.5 per cent. of the 50.5 per cent. rise in the grants of the national museums in England, is attributable to this source, whether it is proposed that the residue, amounting to approximately £2 million, should be employed as a general reserve fund for the intended purposes or administered in a similar way to the analogous fund in Scotland; and whether she will make a statement giving full details of her proposals for the use of these moneys, together with the relevant figures.

Mr. Oakes

All the English share of the additional £2 million has been allocated among the purchase grants of the national museums and galleries, the central funds administered by the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums for assistance with purchases by local museums, and the British Library purchase grant. I am writing to my hon. Friend about the figures underlying this question.