Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will (a) make a public response to the proposals submitted to his Department by PCS as an alternative to privatisation at the National Gallery and (b) refer those proposals to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee for scrutiny; and if he will make a statement.

(a) The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received a copy of the proposals referred to. The Director of the National Gallery received a document entitled ‘Why Keeping Staff In-House is the Best Option for the National Gallery, The PCS Alternative Plan’ last week; a copy has not been received by the Department at the present time. The National Gallery Director and his colleagues are currently giving the proposals careful consideration and will issue a detailed response to PCS shortly on behalf of the Gallery. The proposals are part of an on-going consultation with PCS over a proposed programme to add to its existing range of outsourcing options. The Gallery’s conversation with PCS is being facilitated through ACAS. The National Gallery operates at Arm’s length from DCMS, and as such has responsibility for its own staffing arrangements; the content of the letter is an issue for the National Gallery to consider.

(b) The document is currently the subject of internal management discussions at the National Gallery and covers a range of internal issues; it is not planned that the document will be subject to scrutiny by the CMS Select Committee.

My Right Hon Friend the Secretary of State will not make a statement on the matter.