§ 34. Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now revise his previous policy and earmark a defined proportion of the grant to the Arts Council to be set aside for opera in the provinces.
§ Sir E. BoyleNo, Sir.
§ Dame Irene WardIn order that the House and the country may assess the 552 wisdom or otherwise of my right hon. Friend's reply, may I ask him whether he will be kind enough to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the figures, from 1950 to date, showing the percentage of grants spent on provincial opera and on opera in London, which might overcome the difficulty of nobody being able to know what the Arts Council is really doing about the opera grants?
§ Sir E. BoyleIf my hon. Friend likes to put down that Question, I will see that the figures are published. In answer to this Question, the policy has always been that the Arts Council should have complete discretion in the distribution of its grant, which I am bound to say is a wise principle.
§ Dame Irene WardOn a point of order—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Questions started today in rather an agricultural mood. I cannot hear what the hon. Lady is saying.
§ Dame Irene WardOn a point of order. May I have your assistance, Mr. Speaker? The Minister has suggested that I should put down a Question. The Table cannot permit me to put down that Question. Could you resolve the problem for me? Are you aware that this is why I asked my right hon. Friend if he would play ball with me?
§ Mr. SpeakerIf the hon. Lady submits a Question, it will be considered whether it is in order or not, and if it is in order it will be put down.
§ Dame Irene WardIt is not fair.