§ The Earl of Clancartyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they wish to encourage or discourage the principle of access for non-paying casual visitors to museums and galleries in the United Kingdom.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage (Lord Inglewood)The Government aim to encourage greater access to all museums and galleries and are pleased to note that, excluding the Royal Armouries, for which figures are not available, visits to museums and galleries sponsored by the Department of National Heritage have risen from 19.94 million in 1989–90 to an estimated 24.3 million in 1995–96. The Government believe, however, that the decision as to whether or not charges should be levied is a matter for the trustees of each institution.