In my opinion the government’s policy on museums and its broader support of the cultural sector over the last ten years has been a resounding success, especially for the youngest in society. More grants have been given, museums have modernised and attendance has accelerated.           

 It is clear to see that our great national museums have reaped the rewards of the brave decision taken by this government to introduce free admission which has seen literally millions more Britons experience the wealth of shared experience, knowledge and heritage that these great museums possess.  I know from work in my constituency that our regional museums have also undergone a transformation thanks to the Renaissance in the Regions program and the funding supplied through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Without the financial support and cultural vision of this government these programs would never have been put together,  the real successes though could never have been achieved without the tireless work and steadfast commitment of Museums Libraries and Archives.          

It is testimony to the leaps and bounds taken in the last decade that there is almost universal agreement on the pivotal role played by culture throughout society. As the Prime Minister has stated it plays a creative, economic and even diplomatic role in making Britain what it is today. Indeed he went on to say that a return to boom and bust funding of the cultural sector would be to risk turning back the clock on the tremendous achievements of so many cultural workers across the UK. I could not agree more. It is vital that we do not sit back and watch the paint dry. I hope that after the next spending round a deal can be secured which ensures that this will not happen. 

I am, as honourable members are well aware, extremely proud to represent Gateshead and Washington and in doing so to be a representative for the wider North East. It gives me particular pleasure to be able to say that the North East continues to provide a strong example of how increased museum funding can be best used to make a real difference within the community. Renaissance North East is part of the wider Renaissance in the Regions programme that is transforming our museums – so far proving to be one the most beneficial projects ever run by the DCMS. 

The statistics speak for themselves. Educational visits to North East museums have almost doubled, increasing from 80,000 to 140,000 in just 3 years. Overall visits are up a fifth and the number of children engaged by museums has risen a phenomenal 6,500% and much of this increase includes children from the poorest parts of society. Polling data shows that visitors to North East Museums are more satisfied with their experience than anywhere else in the country. In addition Tyne and Wear Museums have brought £70 million into the regional economy and created over 5000 new jobs as a result of millions of new visitors to the region.  

But numbers alone cannot tell the story. Children are increasingly likely to return with their parents and indeed to return as parents – promoting a cultural cascade through the generations. History teachers have described Renaissance funded museums as ‘manna from heaven’. The work done by Renaissance North East and the MLA has been crucial in connecting people through heritage to knowledge, information and inspiration.  I

t strikes me that a renaissance could be defined as something which has a clear beginning and an end. I hope therefore that we can discover a ‘permanent revolutionary renaissance’ in all of our regions by securing full funding for the future.  I was pleased to hear of a recent seminar which took place last week and drew together specialists from across the cultural sector in order to look at the role culture can play in fostering community cohesion and promoting Neighbourhood Renewal. It is welcome to see that other government departments realise that there is a lot to learn from the various outreach activities that museums can be responsible for.   I hope that perhaps this recognition of the role of culture in communities by DCLG will lead to a recognition that culture can have a role to play in promoting government cohesion!

It is clear from talking to children in my constituency that they have found museum visits to be exciting, engaging and educational. Therefore it would be good see more support from the DFES in promoting closer links between the nations schools and museums. I have drawn on the successes of both regional and national museums so far in my speech and I would argue strongly that we should encourage a greater spirit of co operation between these museums.

By sharing and rotating some stock we can ensure that some of our greatest  treasures are not hoarded away in London but available across the regions where they can be enjoyed in context by people who would not otherwise get the chance to appreciate them. I was encouraged to receive news yesterday that the British Library has now set up an independent expert panel to review the condition of the Lindisfarne Gospels. 

There can be no argument that in the case of the North East the pedigree is there. It was fantastic to see that Tyne and Wear Museums scooped the National Museum and Heritage Award for Excellence. This award would not have been possible without the support available through the Heritage Lottery Fund and there are undoubtedly concerns about the impact of the Olympics on the funds available.

 I have been working hard to try and ensure that in Gateshead we secure a training camp which will see some of the undeniable benefits of the Olympics delivered to the North East.  All the predictions are of a tight spending round, but I would implore anyone with a role in the decision making to look at the relatively small cost of continuing to fund the Renaissance program and weigh up what it means for millions of lives across the country. Our museums should not lose out to sports. This is not a zero sum game.

 I am aware that the majority of this speech so far has focused on the successes of the cultural sector under this government and I would, before closing, like to highlight one way in which I believe we can go further in supporting our museums. Collections are the lifeblood of any museum and we need to be doing all that we can to encourage people to contribute however they can. It is not the job of a Labour government, or any government to offer tax breaks to the richest in society for no apparent reason.

As things stand at the moment tax relief is available to people who choose to donate pieces to museums as a part of their estate, but not whilst they are still alive. I would suggest that in some cases the social benefits outweigh the cost of granting tax relief to donors. If we want to encourage a society where there is a social obligation on everyone to support each other in whatever way possible, we have to make sure that philanthropism is encouraged. Not at a cost to the public purse but as a benefit to British people.  

I believe the facts show that the government has done a good job in opening up the cultural sector, but the real heroes of this renaissance have been those who work in museums and on other cultural projects day in day out. We owe them a commitment of continued support which we can deliver through funding, through working together across government and through listening to curators, creators and innovators everywhere.