Museums to remain free despite cuts

ADMISSION to Scotland's key cultural attractions is to remain free despite spending cuts.

Finance Secretary John Swinney will unveil his spending plans for 2011-12 next Wednesday and officials at the National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums Scotland are reported to have warned they are likely to consider introducing charges depending on the level of cuts to their budgets.

But Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop has said the long-standing principle that guarantees free entry to the national collections, based in Edinburgh, is an "important" policy for the SNP.

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She is expected to tell the galleries and museums she wants free admission maintained for the foreseeable future because of the wide access it guarantees.

The trustees of the two national bodies will have the final say, but the Scottish Government is now expected to follow the lead of the UK Government and shield the national galleries and museums from the brunt of the cuts on condition that free entry is maintained.