An inquiry by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee entitled Caring for our Collections is to look into the effectiveness of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).
This comes after evidence to the committee's last report - Protecting and Preserving our Heritage - questioned the effectiveness of these organisations in representing cultural interests inside and outside government.
A memorandum submitted by the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) to that report commented: 'There is a strong feeling within AIM that MLA does not understand the sector and that it is simply promoting a government agenda.
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Also in a memorandum submitted to the report the British Museum said it was worried about the lack of a 'body or organisation responsible for the development of cultural policy for the UK as a whole'.
Alison Hems, the MLA's project director for Renaissance, welcomed the inquiry. She said: 'From a museum perspective, the timing is perfect. Having recently gone through restructuring at the MLA, this will be a chance to test some of the changes we have made.'
A DCMS spokeswoman commented: 'We welcome the select committee's interest in this area and we will be preparing a memorandum during the course of this month.' The inquiry will focus on museums and galleries and address funding, as well as looking at the functions of the DCMS and the MLA. There will be particular emphasis on budgets in the run-up to the Olympics, and acquisition and disposal policies.
A source in the sector thought that the remit of the inquiry - focusing on the effectiveness of the DCMS and the MLA, and funding in the run-up to the Olympics - was a sign of 'political mischief-making' by the committee. Sally Broadbridge, the committee's inquiry manager, refuted this allegation. She said: 'I don't think so at all. If you look at the evidence from the last public inquiry, you can see that these are legitimate concerns.'
Broadbridge said that looking at the legal restrictions on disposal would probably focus on issues around spoliation and sacred objects, although the inquiry could look at changing the legislation that prevents museums from disposing of objects.
A spokeswoman for the National Museum Directors' Conference said it was aware of the inquiry and would be discussing it later this month. The Museums Association (MA) has welcomed the inquiry, but Helen Wilkinson, the MA's policy officer, said: 'While it is looking at some very important issues, we hope the committee will take a broad view of issues around museums and their collections as the questions seem rather narrow.'
Written submissions are being invited from interested organisations or individuals by 28 September.
For more information, visit: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/culture__media_and_sport/cms060725.cfm
Patrick Steel
This comes after evidence to the committee's last report - Protecting and Preserving our Heritage - questioned the effectiveness of these organisations in representing cultural interests inside and outside government.
A memorandum submitted by the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) to that report commented: 'There is a strong feeling within AIM that MLA does not understand the sector and that it is simply promoting a government agenda.
'
Also in a memorandum submitted to the report the British Museum said it was worried about the lack of a 'body or organisation responsible for the development of cultural policy for the UK as a whole'.
Alison Hems, the MLA's project director for Renaissance, welcomed the inquiry. She said: 'From a museum perspective, the timing is perfect. Having recently gone through restructuring at the MLA, this will be a chance to test some of the changes we have made.'
A DCMS spokeswoman commented: 'We welcome the select committee's interest in this area and we will be preparing a memorandum during the course of this month.' The inquiry will focus on museums and galleries and address funding, as well as looking at the functions of the DCMS and the MLA. There will be particular emphasis on budgets in the run-up to the Olympics, and acquisition and disposal policies.
A source in the sector thought that the remit of the inquiry - focusing on the effectiveness of the DCMS and the MLA, and funding in the run-up to the Olympics - was a sign of 'political mischief-making' by the committee. Sally Broadbridge, the committee's inquiry manager, refuted this allegation. She said: 'I don't think so at all. If you look at the evidence from the last public inquiry, you can see that these are legitimate concerns.'
Broadbridge said that looking at the legal restrictions on disposal would probably focus on issues around spoliation and sacred objects, although the inquiry could look at changing the legislation that prevents museums from disposing of objects.
A spokeswoman for the National Museum Directors' Conference said it was aware of the inquiry and would be discussing it later this month. The Museums Association (MA) has welcomed the inquiry, but Helen Wilkinson, the MA's policy officer, said: 'While it is looking at some very important issues, we hope the committee will take a broad view of issues around museums and their collections as the questions seem rather narrow.'
Written submissions are being invited from interested organisations or individuals by 28 September.
For more information, visit: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/culture__media_and_sport/cms060725.cfm
Patrick Steel
