HL Deb 05 May 1999 vol 600 cc97-8WA
The Earl of Carlisle

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will clarify the nature and benefits of trustee governance of national museums and galleries. [HL2090]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The trustees of the national museums and galleries hold their collections in trust for the nation and are responsible for caring for those collections and ensuring public access. They operate at arm's length from government, so that the trustees may perform their statutory functions with freedom from day-to-day government intervention. At the same time, the trustees are subject to certain controls to ensure that the public funds they receive are properly spent on the purposes for which they are voted by Parliament. Under these arrangements the national museums and galleries benefit from the contribution of experienced and distinguished individuals who give their valuable time to determine the strategy and direction of those institutions, within the context of government policy.