§ 7. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the progress of consultations with the Arts Council with a view to the withholding of subsidies from public funds for theatrical productions which are blasphemous or obscene.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeConsultations between my noble Friend and the Arts Council are still proceeding.
§ Mr. KingIs the Minister aware that the mild suggestions made by one of his colleagues were described by Mr. Kenneth Tynan as "cheeky" and were disapproved of by Mr. Jonathan Miller? 1655 Do noises of this sort from so august a quarter still strike terror in the Ministerial heart, or is the literary and dramatic climate changing?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeIt would take considerably more than that to strike terror in any Ministerial heart. I am happy to say that my answer is accurate and that the matter is still in discussion with the Arts Council.
§ Mr. FauldsDoes the hon. Gentleman not agree that it would be entirely unacceptable to interfere with the artistic and creative processes sponsored by the Arts Council simply because certain elderly hon. Members suffer either from religious bigotry or sexual guilt?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI do not propose to attempt identification. There has never been the smallest disposition on the part of my noble Friend to be the person who makes these decisions, but there is widespread support for his view that it is not appropriate for public money to be made available for purposes which are gravely offensive to a wide range of people.