§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Minister for the Arts what is his policy towards the recruitment of technically competent staff able to study, develop and manage the preservation and conservation of large quantities of printed and written material in the nation's galleries and archives; and how many qualified technical staff are currently employed in(a) the British museum, (b) the Victoria and Albert museum, (c) the national maritime museum, and (d) the science museum including the national museum of film photography and television in Bradford and the British library.
§ Mr. LuceRecruitment policy and staff numbers in the British library and the national museums and galleries are matters for their directors, board members and trustees. I attach great importance to the care of items in the national collections and to that end have allocated half of the £13 million increase for the national museums and galleries from 1990–91 to 1991–92 to the management of their collections. I have also set aside up to £100,000 a year for the three years 1989–90 to 1991–92 towards a national manuscript conservation fund, to be administered by the British Library.