61. Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has received any representations about the level of his Department's funding for the science museum; and if he will make a statement.
§ 62. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has received any representations about the level of his Department's funding for the science museum; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceI have received no such representations.
Last December I announced the grant-in-aid allocations for the next three years for the Science museum and the other national museums and galleries that I sponsor. The Science museum's grant in aid for running costs and purchase grant is £11.422 million in the present financial year. Comparing like with like, this is an increase in real terms of some 26 per cent. since 1979–80.