HC Deb 07 May 1970 vol 801 cc571-2
41 and 61. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether, in order to ensure that no part of moneys granted to the Arts Council for patronage purposes is used to support commercial enterprise, he will provide an additional sum of money earmarked so that a Theatre Investment Fund can be set up separately to prevent the collapse of the commercial theatre outside London;

(2) whether he will take steps to set aside a sum separate from and additional to the Arts Council grant for the purpose of financing the Theatre Investment Fund.

Miss Jennie Lee

The Arts Council has appointed an officer to advise on the steps necessary to set up a Theatre Investment Fund. Its success would depend on at least part of the necessary money being provided from commercial sources.

Mr. Jenkins

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Would she not agree that it is very important in setting up the fund that there shall be no suspicion that any moneys which would otherwise be used for support or patronage purposes should be siphoned off into private pockets? Is it not part of her intention that money provided from public funds shall be earmarked separately for the purpose indicated in the Question?

Miss Lee

As my hon. Friend knows, the theatre inquiry recommended that a Theatre Investment Fund should be established with £250,000, made up of £100,000 from the Arts Council and £150,000 from commercial sources. This is a complicated matter. The gist of it is that we want to have both a prosperous commercial theatre, and of course prosperous State-subsidised repertory theatres. They are rather interlocked and the Arts Council will take great care indeed to see that no money from public funds will be used for private profits.

Mr. Channon

Would not the Minister agree that there is a considerable concern about the future of the commercial theatre, particularly outside London, and that this is a matter of some urgency? When will she be in a position to make a further statement?

Miss Lee

I am waiting upon the Arts Council's Report. I have already said that my Department has no responsibility for the purely commercial theatre, although we take an interest in it and want to see it flourish. The Arts Council should be congratulated on the careful thought which it has given to the scheme which it is trying to operate and which will be of advantage to the commercial theatre without private profit.