§ 28. Mr. Gowerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make it a condition of his future grants to the Arts Council that it makes more generous allocations to the Welsh National Opera Company; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GowerIs the Minister aware that the work done by this company in reviving opera which has not been performed in the United Kingdom for 50 years or more has been widely acknowledged, and in view of the fact that taxation, which supplies the grants to the Arts Council, is collected from all over the United Kingdom, would not he agree that the funds at the disposal of the Welsh Committee and the funds allocated to the Welsh National Opera Company are pathetically small?
§ Mr. SimonI know that the Welsh National Opera Company enjoys a high reputation, but I think it would be a mistake to depart from the long-standing policy of leaving the question of how the grant should be distributed entirely to the Arts Council. My right hon. Friend has confidence in the way the Council exercises its discretion in the performance of that duty.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsWhile appreciating that, may I ask the Financial Secretary if he will convey to the Arts Council the fact that there is a very deep and widespread feeling in Wales that the Council has not been fair to the Welsh National Opera Company, and would he consider the grants that are made, because, as the hon. and learned Gentleman said, this company has a very high reputation, not only in Wales, but outside Wales as well?