§ 15. Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to examine the most effective way of helping the arts.
§ Mr. MaudlingNo, Sir.
§ Dame Irene WardIs my right hon. Friend aware that when there is a genuine industrial dispute, Ministers and trade unionists and conciliation officers and almost everybody else are called in to try and bring the parties together? Presumably my right hon. Friend has confidence in the trade unions and in his right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. Can my right hon. Friend therefore explain why when there is a professional argument, and two good women of great integrity on the staff wish to protect the interests of the taxpayer and the taxpayers' money, my right hon. Friend should decline to intervene in what I think is a most sickening process? I hope that the whole thing will be blown sky-high before long.
§ Mr. MaudlingI cannot share my hon. Friend's sentiments on this point. These are matters which must be sorted out by the Arts Council if it is carrying out its responsibilities, which I think it is doing very well.
§ Dame Irene WardNonsense.