My Lords, we are taking an opportunity here. The Minister will doubtless say that it is not necessarily appropriate to put this in the Bill, but it is really important that the suite of mechanisms we have to address the protection of cultural heritage should be debated at this stage. The news about the cultural heritage fund and the recent announcement of the timetable for bids is very welcome, on top of the £3 million the British Museum has and the amount now given. Of course, the bids will be in small grants and then large grants, but our purpose here is to ask about the future of this fund.
I want to raise another important element, which is the cross-departmental process. Obviously, it involves the British Council working in conjunction with DCMS, but I wear another hat as spokesperson in the Lords for international development. Critically, the fund’s objective is to create opportunities for economic and social development through building capacity to foster, safeguard and promote cultural heritage. That, of course, is not necessarily specifically about items of cultural heritage and museums; it is also about education and building schools, for example. We can amplify the £300 million by ensuring that the work of the British Council is conducted in conjunction with the activities of the Department for International Development.
This is a classic case of joined-up government, hence our amendment to ask: what are the mechanisms for reporting on the fund and its future, and can we guarantee it? Of course, a lot of projects will go beyond 2020. We would like to see some commitment to the future of the fund beyond the existing amount allocated. Did I say £300 million earlier? Sorry, I have caused inflation. We want to hear about the Government’s commitment in the longer term. Also, I would like the noble Baroness to focus on how this money would work in concert with the Department for International Development. I beg to move.
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