§ Sir Patrick CormackTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what additional resources she plans to make available to the British museum to compensate for the sum paid by the British library as a contribution to the running costs of the Bloomsbury site. [2805]
§ Mr. SproatThe Government have already provided some additional resources to the British museum. In November 1993, the then Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke), announced that the Government would provide the British museum with an additional £1 million per annum from 1996–97 onwards, in recognition of the consequences of the departure of the British library from Bloomsbury.
The Government are considering the museum's case for funding most carefully. Grant in aid allocations will be announced immediately after the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement.