§ Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Minister for the Arts what is the increase in the provision for the maintenance of museums and galleries in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceThe current year's provision for the building and maintenance programmes at the national museums and galleries which I sponsor is £48 million. This represents a real terms increase of 50 per cent. since 1979–80 and an increase of £3 million on the previous year's allocation.
I announced on 16 November 1989 that this provision will rise to some £64 million in 1992–93. This will bring the total provision for building and maintenance over the next three years to over £180 million.