§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the ending of research on fossil birds and plants at the natural history museum in London; and if he has proposals to increase funding to the natural history museum.
§ Mr. LuceThe day-to-day running of the natural history museum, and decisions on the museum's research programme, are matters for the director and trustees of the museum.
With regard to funding, I announced in November 1989 that the Government were increasing the museum's grant-in-aid for 1990–91 by 16.5 per cent. over 1989–90. Future funding for the national history museum will be considered in conjunction with the funding bids from other national museums and galleries, details of which are contained in their 1990–95 corporate plans which are being submitted to me.