§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what account was taken of the absence of final planning permission for the Royal Opera house project in determining whether to allocate lottery funds; [20453]
(2) what conditions have been imposed on the Royal Opera house in respect of the new building works before the Arts Council funding is finally committed. [20494]
§ Mr. Sproat[holding answer 18 March 1996]: The decision whether, and under what conditions, to allocate lottery funds to the Royal Opera house was taken by the Arts Council of England, an independent lottery distribution body. I have asked the chairman of the Arts Council to write to the hon. Member placing copies of his response in the House Library.