§ Nick HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of museums'(a) collections care and (b) public access in each year since 1998; and if she will make a statement. [83735]
§ Dr. HowellsThe museums and galleries sponsored by my Department take very seriously the duty of care for collection items in their ownership. This is reflected in the increasing percentage of collection items which are stored in the correct environmental conditions—rising from an average of 74 per cent, in 1998–99 to 78 per cent, in 2001–02. Similarly, the museums and galleries are making ever greater efforts towards heightening public accessibility—both actual and virtual—to their collections. The average percent of time open at the museums and galleries has risen from 56 per cent, in 1998–99 to 61 per cent, in 2001–02, and the number of collection items which are able to be viewed online has increased from an average of 4 per cent, in 1998–99 to 31 per cent, in 2001–02.
The following table shows data for each year between 1998–99 and 2001–02 for each of these areas across those museums and galleries sponsored by my Department.
§ Dr. HowellsBetween 1998–99 and 2001–02, visitors in each of the three categories specified to all those museums and galleries sponsored by my Department have increased by: 31 per cent, for children; 32 per cent, for over 60s and 27 per cent, for others. The position for the major museums and galleries as requested is set out in the following table:
539W
Institution 1998 to 1999 1999 to 2000 2000 to 2001 2001 to 2002 British Museum a) 630,000 a) 616,000 a) 656,309 a) 671,505 b) 315,000 b) 308,000 b) 323,137 b) 335,750 c) 3,555,000 c) 3,476,000 c) 3,708,474 c) 3,802,745 Imperial War Museum a) 352,347 a) 359,215 a) 398,849 a) 424,372 b) 156,792 b) 145,757 b) 194,046 b) 174,594 c) 864,964 c) 887,821 c) 1,015,919 c) 1,008,963 National Gallery a) 400,000 a) 398,129 a) 410,000 a) 461,000 b) 625,000 b) 655,000 b) 626,000 b) 528,000 c)3,275,000 c) 3,446,871 c)3,744,000 c) 3,870,000 National Maritime Museum a) 136,367 a) 270,306 a) 272,572 a) 330,760 b) 33,743 b) 98,506 b) 120,424 b) 137,322 c) 311,928 c) 499,169 c) 399,224 c) 529,926 National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside a) 257,878 a) 238,000 a) 2,11,000 a) 246,371 b) not available b) 69,000 b) 69,000 b) 118,129 c) 442,122 c) 349,000 c) 331,000 c) 458,190 National Museum of Science and Industry a) 914,902 a) 1,132,088 a) 1,075,032 a) 1,290,498 b) 130,367 b) 158,918 b) 231,000 b) 263,391 c) 1,117,731 c) 1,563,994 c) 1,519,481 c) 1,566,024 Natural History Museum a) 628,205 a) 585,389 a) 562,165 a) 693,595 b) 35,897 b) 43,182 b) 79,767 b) 97,625 c) 1,130,768 c) 1,118,288 c) 1,049,068 c) 1,405,346 Tate a) 394,359 a) 289,720 a) 961,450 a) 767,609 b) 273,017 b) 241,209 b) 839,551 b) 552,156 c) 2,366,151 c) 1,951,593 c) 4,932,690 c) 4,190,635 Victoria and Albert Museum a) 215,097 a) 202,894 a) 216,827 a) 291,406 b) 126,478 b) 89,614 b) 117,044 b) 249,192 c) 1,118,345 c) 986,622 c) 1,048,208 c) 1,318,023 a) number of children b) number of over 60s c) others Note:
'Major' has been defined as those museums and galleries in recept of £10 million or more grant in aid of the current financial year.
§ Nick HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of her Department's efficiency review of national museums and galleries; and if she will make a statement. [83761]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Efficiency Review of national museums and galleries sponsored by my Department, and which was undertaken in 1999–2000, has been instrumental in improving the quality of performance measures included in the funding agreements that my Department negotiates with its sponsored museums and galleries, and in the development and refinement of targets for each museum and gallery. Through the funding agreements my Department is better able to assess the performance of sponsored museums and galleries in the delivery of key Government priorities.