Government and the development of conservation in the United Kingdom

Summary This paper describes some of the ways in which Government departments and agencies have influenced the development of conservation in the United Kingdom since 1945. It is mainly concerned with the role played by the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries and its successor body, the Museums and Galleries Corntnission (MGC). It also describes how the work of the MGC has contributed to initiatives by the audit agencies and the potential impact this will have on conservation. Reference is also made to the political, social and economic situation during the period in order to show these developments in a broader context.