§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will provide financial assistance to the national coal mining museum for England, based at Wakefield; and if she will make a statement. [21362]
§ Mr. SproatSince 1994, the Government, through the Museums and Galleries Commission, have been providing £300,000 of transitional funding to the museum to give it a breathing space in which to identify alternative sources of income. The heritage lottery fund has now offered in principle to contribute up to 75 per cent. of development costs of £1.3 million at the museum to be incurred over two years. This assistance is intended to preserve the museum's collections, site and public services in the medium term while exploring the opportunities for the museum's longer term viability through a business study. My Department will be making a contribution to £200,000, via the Museums and Galleries Commission, towards the partnership funding that is necessary to secure the heritage lottery fund's grant.