§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the revenue which the National Army museum in Chelsea would have obtained from an entry charge of £2 per visitor in 1996. [12871]
§ Mr. SoamesA sum of £256,878, but this figure takes no account of any reduction in visitor numbers that would have followed the introduction of admission charges, or visitors who may have been eligible for free admission.
Any decision to introduce admission charges is a matter for the council of the National Army museum.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to(a) the Royal Signals museum and (b) Bournemouth university of their joint multi-media facility programme; and if he will make a statement. [12872]
§ Mr. SoamesThe cost of the Royal Signals museum's participation in Bournemouth university's project, Electroscape, will be met from the museum trustees' non-public funds. There will be no cost to my Department. The cost to Bournemouth university is not a matter for my Department.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage reduction in the funding of regimental and corps museums is planned for the period from April 1998. [12873]
§ Mr. SoamesWe have advised museum trustees that there will be a reduction of 12.7 per cent. in the contribution the MOD makes to the funding of regimental and corps museums from April 1998. We are currently consulting with them about how this should be achieved. Not all regimental and corps museums will be affected.