HC Deb 03 April 1995 vol 257 cc937-9W
Mr. Faulds

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the attendance figures for the financial year ended 31 March reported by the national museums and galleries for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for the preceding year. [16754]

Mr. Dorrell

I list forecasts for the number of visits to the 11 national museums and galleries in England for which I am responsible for the financial year ended in satisfaction of inheritance tax during the financial year ended 31 March; and if he will specify (a) the amount of tax satisfied in each case, (b) whether any offers carried conditions as to destination, (c) the date in each case of the recommendations received by him from the Museums and Galleries Commission for the acceptance of objects, (d) the total for the financial year of the tax thus satisfied and (e) how much of this total was covered in the public accounts by means of resort to the reserve in accordance with the Government policy announced on 2 July 1985, Official Report, column, 779. [16753]

Mr. Dorrell

The information requested is as follows:

31 March 1995 and the actual figures for the financial year 1993–94. More accurate figures for 1994–95 will be available in July.

Number of visits in 1993–94 (million) Forecast number of visits in 1993–94 (million) Provisional percentage increase/decrease over the previous year
British Museum 6.03 6.32 +4.8
Imperial War Museum 1.19 1.23 +3.4
National Gallery 4.02 4.00 -0.5
National Maritime Museum 0.53 0.54 +1.9
National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside 1.34 1.38 +3.0
National Portrait Gallery 0.79 0.85 +7.6
Number of visits in 1993–94 (million) Forecast number of visits in 1993–94 (million) Provisional percentage increase/decrease over the previous year
Natural History Museum 1.74 1.54 -11.5
National Museum of Science and Industry 2.67 2.48 -7.1
Tate Gallery 2.75 2.80 +1.8
Victoria and Albert Museum 1.58 1.60 +1.3
Wallace Collection 0.15 0.16 +6.7
Total 22.79 22.9 +0.5

It is not possible to identify the number of visits to the Royal Armouries because it at present forms part of the Tower of London.