Recommendation 10

We are concerned that the top-ups in previous years show ultimately that the Department will not allow a museum or gallery to shut and will seek to do something to make sure the museum or gallery were a going concern, and that, as a result, the museums and galleries will not try to raise extra money or reduce costs themselves.27 Responding to this concern, the Department pointed out that its arm’s-length bodies, such as the sponsored museums and galleries, are expected to contribute to its efficiency targets under the 2025 Spending Review. In addition, there was a risk that areas of their cost base, such as energy costs, would grow in a way that was not manageable as a result of the Iran situation. The Department and museums and galleries were therefore incentivised to pull every lever at their disposal to make sure they drive up the sources of external income and look at their cost base.28