Chancellor George Osborne has used today's autumn statement and spending review to emphasise government support for the arts, media and sport, and said that in order to encourage museums and galleries to develop creative new exhibitions and display their collections for a wide audience, the government will talk to the sector about possible tax reliefs for museums and galleries
The government will launch a consultation at Budget 2016 on how to expand support that can be given to grassroots sport through the corporation tax system.
The government also said it would ensure that national museum and galleries have the same amount of state funding in cash terms in 2019-20 as they do today and will continue to underwrite free museum entry.
In addition, George Osborne announced increased central government funding to elite sport to build on the success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 and a flat cash settlement for grassroots sports funding; £1.6bn of capital investment over the next five years; and a reduction in the budget for the department for culture, media and sport (DCMS) cutting administrative costs, and reforms including a new operating model for the Royal Parks to ensure a sustainable financial future.
The government is also to make permanent the operational freedoms for national museums announced at Spending Review 2013, which will be extended to other public institutions including the British Film Institute (BFI), National Army Museum, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force Museum, Historic England and Churches Conservation Trust.
Additionally, Osborne said up to £550m will be invested over the Parliament to make the 700Mhz spectrum band available for mobile broadband use.
The government has said it will complete the £1.7bn investment into the superfast broadband programme to ensure it is available to 95% of premises by 2017, and is to publish a digital transformation plan in early 2016.
