TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF FREE ADMISSION TO MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

Early day motion 2613, tabled 18 January 2012 by Ian Lavery (Labour). Signed by 32 members.

That this House celebrates the 10th anniversary of free admission to museums and galleries sponsored by the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (DCOMS); notes that eight of the top 10 most visited UK tourist attractions are free DCOMS sponsored national museums; welcomes the 18 million visits made every year to museums that used to charge,a 150 per cent. increase, and that 8.3 million of those visitors were children; is concerned that visits from adults and children in lower socio-economic groups have declined since DCOMS funding for sponsored museums and galleries was cut by 15 per cent. in the Comprehensive Spending Review; and calls on the Government to ensure that adequate funding is provided to sponsored museums and galleries to protect free admission and access to all for generations to come.

Signatures by party: Labour 23, DUP 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Conservative 1, Green 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.