HC Deb 15 June 1967 vol 748 cc758-9
18. Mr. Iremonger

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of lecturers in literary subjects who have lectured for the Arts Council in England and Wales during the past 18 months, and state what fees were paid in each case, the number of people who attended each lecture or function, and the names of those on the panel responsible for arranging the engagement of the lecturers.

The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Miss Jennie Lee)

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to poetry recitals. I am arranging for the necessary information to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Iremonger

I thank the right hon. Lady for that reply. But my Question referred to all lecturers on literary subjects; perhaps she could amend her Reply in that sense.

Miss Lee

I looked into this matter, but I found that it is only poetry recitals that

Recitals which have place in the past 18 months and attendances are as follows:—
Date of tour Places visited Attendance Names of poets
March, 1966 … … Birmingham … … 65 Professor Edmund Blunden Vernon Scannell
Kettering … … 60
March, 1966 … … Alnwick … … 60 George Barkes Dom Moraes
Ashington … … 30
Durham … … 20
Guisborough … … 50
Hexham … … 45
South Shields … … 30
November, 1966 … … Dillington House … … 119 Vernon Watkins Hugo Williams
Exeter … … 48
Newton Abbott … … 40
Plymouth … … 73
St. Austell … … 55
Street … … 55
March, 1967 … … Alfreton … … 50 Patricia Beer Jon Stallworthy
Avoncroft … … 30
Kettering … … 35
Rugeley … … 25
Worcester … … 110
Each poet received a fee of ten guineas per recital. Poets are engaged by the Arts Council on the advice of its Literature Panel, which had about 20 members throughout the period with Mr. C. Day Lewis as Chairman.