Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the 1998 visitor levels at(a) Armagh County Museum, (b) the Ulster and Transport Museum, (c) the Ulster American Folk Park, (d) the Ulster Museum and (e) the Navan Centre; for what reason these figures were not published in the 1998–99 Annual report of the Northern Ireland Museums Council; and if he will make a statement. [94815]
§ Mr. McFallI am advised by the Northern Ireland Museums Council that the figures provided in the Council's 1998–99 Annual Report refer only to regional, local and independent registered museums within its membership and not to the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland which is directly financed from Government. The Armagh County Museum, the Ulster American Folk Park, the Ulster Museum and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum all form part of National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland which was established on 1 April 1998. The Navan Centre is not included as it is not a Museum.
The 1998 visitor figures were:
Visitor levels at Museums and Galleries in Northern Ireland Museum Number Armagh County Museum 114,175 Ulster Folk and Transport Museum 169,794 Ulster American Folk Park 111,221 Ulster Museum 235,694 Navan Centre 36,436 1 The figure for the Armagh County Museum relates to 10 months of 1998 since the Museum was closed for two months in that year.