§ 2. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the fact that the Theatres Trust has exhausted its own funds, if he will provide financial aid to enable the Trust to continue to perform its consultative role under the General Development Order 1977.
§ The Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr. Reginald Freeson)It was made clear when the Theatres Trust was established that public funds would not be available for it.
§ Mr. JenkinsIs my right hon. Friend aware that if he were as well informed on this subject as he is on so many others he would not have given me that answer? Will he ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to receive a deputation consisting of Lord Goodman, my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), the hon. Member for Canterbuy (Mr. Crouch) and myself, who will seek to explain to him the unusual circumstances which have arisen and which cause us to seek his aid in our task?
§ Mr. FreesonI assure my hon. Friend that I am reasonably well informed on the background to this matter, and no doubt my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will have heard the request. As for the general position, I am also quite 1482 willing to clock again into the facts and consider the matter further, but the position is as I stated it at the outset.