Museums and Galleries: Admission Charges for Non-UK Residents

Earl of Clancarty Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I am unclear whether I can respond as to how the Louvre is going to do this in practice. I understand that it has a way of checking eligibility. The decision in respect to the Louvre is clearly a decision for it, as it is for other museums—my apologies if I have misunderstood the question. As I said in my initial Answer, we remain proud of the landmark Labour policy, which means that everyone is able to enter our national museums free of charge.

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords, I welcome the Answer given by the Minister, but the question I want to ask concerns the £270 million announced to help the arts most in crisis, including our civic museums. How will that money be allotted and distributed? A test case is surely Cannock Chase’s Museum and Prince of Wales Theatre, which from next year will receive no funding at all from the local district council. Will these institutions and others in similar positions be saved from closure, and how will this be done?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

DCMS is committed to working in partnership with councils and local leaders so that residents’ needs are met, but we are also reviewing wider funding structures and addressing challenges across the entire sector. This includes through the review of Arts Council England and the Government’s commitment to restoring stability to local government finances. We really do understand the issues that a number of cultural institutions are facing.