HC Deb 02 March 1981 vol 1000 cc16-8
27. Mr. Mellor

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the outcome of discussions with the chairman of the Arts Council about withdrawal of grants to certain organisations for the year 1981–82.

Mr. Channon

In view of the concern expressed in the House on 2 February about the Arts Council's decision to withdraw certain grants, I wrote to the chairman following a meeting I had with him on 4 February. The correspondence has been published in the Official Report. In particular, I welcome the assurance that the Arts Council will tell arts organisations where their future grants may be at risk for whatever reason.

Mr. Mellor

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the feeling of many hon. Members that the manner in which the grants were withdrawn was somewhat arrogant, and all the more distasteful because it is public money and not the council's own money that it is dispensing and withdrawing? Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the Arts Council is aware that there is a better way of doing things? Is he also satisfied that certain worthwhile bodies that had their grants withdrawn, such as the National Youth Orchestra, will survive successfully?

Mr. Channon

I very much hope that bodies such as the National Youth Orchestra and others will survive with the help of private sponsorship. Those are amateur organisations and the Arts Council would say that it is anomalous that they should have received an Arts Council grant. I have drawn to the attention of the Arts Council the manner in which the grants were withdrawn, in view of the views expressed in every quarter of the House. I hope that the letter is a reasonably satisfactory outcome.

Sir David Price

Will my right hon. Friend make clear to those who represent him that an Arts Council grant is not for keeps and that every recipient must continue, in terms of the criteria laid down by the Arts Council, to justify reception of such a grant?

Mr. Channon

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. It would be wrong, once a body received an Arts Council grant, if that were to be given in perpetuity. Standards must be kept up and I believe that that is a general view in all quarters of the House.

Mr. Freud

While I accept what the Minister has said, will he try to persuade the Arts Council to make its letters to theatre companies easier to understand? In particular, will he look into the case of the Spectrum Theatre Company which has been told to spend less money on productions because the quality would thereby be enhanced?

Mr. Channon

If that is so, perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to send me the correspondence so that I may study it. I have attempted to persuade the Arts Council to write decent English, but I find that difficult, not only with the Arts Council but with a great many other bodies.

Mr. John Silkin

Does the Minister agree that all quarters of the House have found that the disposition of the Arts Council money in this case has been somewhat capricious? He told us that he wrote to the Arts Council on 4 February. Is there any indication that it is preparing to review the disposition of its funds, rather than merely to tell people what their grants might be in the future?

Mr, Channon

I do not think that the Arts Council has any plans to review its dispositions for 1981–82. The criticism in the House was directed at the way that the council had announced its decisions rather than at the quality of those decisions. The correspondence between myself and the chairman has been published in the Official Report. If the right hon. Gentleman has any particular points arising from that, I shall be glad to take them up.

Mr. Cormack

Is this an appropriate opportunity for my right hon. Friend to point out that there is an excellent exhibition in the Upper Waiting Room explaining the work of the Arts Council and how its grants are worked out?

Mr. Channon

I am glad to take the opportunity to advise hon. Members to see that exhibition. I congratulate my hon. Friend on his initiative in getting the exhibition put in the Upper Waiting Room.