HC Deb 07 December 1967 vol 755 cc1647-9
18. Mr. Robert Cooke

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider rehousing the Arts Council in an historic building in the London area.

Miss Jennie Lee

It is for the Arts Council to determine the kind of building in which it can most suitably carry out its functions.

Mr. Cooke

The House will have read Lord Goodman's defence of the financial aspect of this question, but surely the Minister is interested to see that our historic buildings, particularly in the London area, are put to good use? Will she use her good offices, when chances like this occur, to get public bodies interested in work of this kind—particularly the Arts Council—to house themselves in a worthy setting and not in modern office blocks?

Miss Lee

I entirely agree that we should use our historic buildings to the best possible advantage, but the affairs of the Arts Council are in very competent hands and it is transferring to more suitable premises.

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

Does my hon. Friend agree that the function of the Arts Council is to be outward looking, and that it is far more important that it should operate in an efficient building than that it should be housed in an historic one?

Miss Lee

There is never anything wrong in trying to make the best of all possible worlds.

21. Miss Harvie Anderson

asked the Secretary of Slate for Education and Science what consultation he has had with the Arts Council on its proposal to move from its present offices; and if he will make a statement.

Miss Jennie Lee

The Council informed me some time ago that it considered it necessary to move to larger quarters and was negotiating for a lease of 105, Piccadilly. After consulting the Ministry of Public Building and Works, I told the Council that the rent being asked was reasonable and that the premises were suitable provided some of the accommodation was sublet. A satisfactory lease has now been negotiated.

Miss Harvie Anderson

Does not the Minister think that the time is slightly inappropriate for the Arts Council, whose excellent work I accept, to move to premises 10 times as expensive as its present headquarters? Is it really necessary for those premises to be in the centre of London?

Miss Lee

They are not 10 times as expensive. This is all being spelt out rather carefully in the popular Press. I think that the Council has made a very reasonable bargain and that we need some of our prestige buildings used for purposes such as the Arts Council. I am satisfied with its decision. We do not want everything bought out of the bargain basement.

Sir C. Osborne

In view of last night's statement by the President of the Board of Trade that there must be ruthless cuts in the private sector's spending to rescue the country from poverty, can we afford to spend more money on this kind of business?

Miss Lee

We cannot afford not to. We shall have lost all sense of survival if we begin to talk about the relatively small sum still spent on the arts as if they were one of the great spending Departments. [An HON. MEMBER: "It is the taxpayers' money."]