"We have seen local authorities closing libraries, and now it is happening to museums. We are very concerned about what this is doing to the culture of Britain, particularly in the less well-off areas of the country," added Brown.
"Museums are very important to our tourism sector, acting as a draw for visitors in many areas. Museums are public-facing institutions which deliver a range of important public benefits. They preserve, protect and promote the nation's collective memory, knowledge and history," Brown explained.
"In Lancashire we have recently seen the closure of five museums in one swoop. We have never seen a museum service so decimated. It included the closure of two textile mills both of historic importance, and both featured in major movies."
"When museums close their doors, what happens is a real concern to us. It is difficult to see how the lights can be switched back on at some future date. What is happening to our museums is the worst we have seen in living memory."
The government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently carrying out a review of the country's museums sector. Figures released by DCMS show that since 2010 spending on museums by local councils across the country has fallen by nearly 300 million U.S. dollars.
The MA's Brown said: "This is the first time the government has comprehensively reviewed museums provision across England."
" The MA believes that a new strategy must recognize the importance of museums to every region, and must respond to growing concerns about the inability of many local authorities to adequately fund cultural services," said Brown.
The MA has called for sustained funding for museums, adding that lottery funding administered by the Arts Council of England has been shown to be spent disproportionately in London and in wealthier areas of Britain.
CANBERRA Nike Air Max 97 Rouge Pas Cher , Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has warned that local workers will be the biggest losers from the country's proposed short-term working visas scheme.
Responding to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP)'s discussion paper on skilled migrants on Tuesday, the ACTU issued a critical response.
They labeled short-term working visas as unnecessary and claimed they will put Australians out of work.
The ACTU also suggested the proposals have only been made to suit foreign nations following the Australian government's recent free trade agreements with South Korea Nike Air Max 97 Argent Pas Cher , Japan and China. "The paper fails to make the case for why this and other new visas are needed at this time,"the ACTU said via a statement released on Tuesday. "It appears to have been driven more by the government's deregulatory agenda and the wishes of particular employers in particular sectors wanting to attract overseas workers Nike Air Max 97 Noir Pas Cher , rather than a wider view of what is in the public interest."
Data released by the DIBP highlighted that fewer employers would seek hiring foreign staff when labour