GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR MUSEUMS

That this House believes the 28 per cent. real increase in funding for sponsored museums over the past 10 years, which has enabled free entry to many great national collections and a 40 per cent. increase in visitor numbers, shows clearly the Government's success in combining cultural excellence with social inclusion; welcomes in particular the commitment of the Big Lottery Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund in this respect; and would strongly deplore any move away from this successful formula.