§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to collect information about the number of(a) primary and (b) secondary school visits to museums. [74237]
§ Mr. Alan Howarth[holding answer 2 March 1999]: Museums and galleries sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport all regularly collect data on school visits, and in most cases those by primary and secondary schools can be distinguished.
The Museums and Galleries Commission hope to include a request for information on primary and secondary school visits in their DOMUS (Digest of Museum Statistics) general survey of Registered museums, questionnaires for which will be issued in the summer. This will furnish information for the wider sector.
Funds have been allocated to allow free entry for children to currently charging national museums in England from April this year. Data on visits made by children will be collected on a regular basis so that the impact of this policy is carefully monitored. Most visits by organised school parties are already free.