§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in view of the uneven distribution of grant to the Midlands area, which cannot be rectified until a greater total of grant is made available, he will take steps to increase immediately the total money granted to the six area museum councils.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe grant for assistance to local museums in the 1980–81 estimates is £1.5 million, an increase of 18.48 per cent. over the grant of £l.266 million in the revised Estimates for 1979–80. The Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries, which advises me on the distribution of this grant, has agreed with the area museum councils that this increase is sufficiently generous for a start to be made in 1980–81 towards the redistribution of the grant.