§ 20. Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what visits he has made or plans to make to the regions in connection with his responsibilities in relation to the arts and the national heritage.
§ Mr. ChannonI have recently visited Southampton and Merseyside and have so far about 20 engagements to all parts of the country planned for the next few months. I shall write to my hon. Friend giving details.
§ Mr. MillsI thank my right hon. Friend for announcing such a robust programme. Will he ensure that the regions have a fair share of the resources allocated to the arts and that such resources are not unfairly allocated to London and the South-East?
§ Mr. ChannonI entirely agree with my hon. Friend. It is encouraging that the Arts Council allocates about two-thirds of its grant to activities outside London. That is different from the situation that existed 10 or 20 years ago and is an encouraging trend.
§ Sir David PriceIs my right hon. Friend aware that he was extremely welcome in Southampton earlier this month? Will he bear in mind, on his regional trips, that there would be much merit in linking support for the arts with the work of local tourist boards, because, as he will understand from earlier supplementary questions, many of us feel that the two go together?
§ Mr. ChannonI have had a meeting with the English Tourist Board today and we discussed a number of ways in which we could jointly help. I shall keep my hon. Friend's point of view in mind. I found my visit to Southampton most helpful, because it it a good authority for helping the arts. I wish that others were as good.
§ Mr. FreudDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that in France and West Germany the budgets for sales and promotion of the arts come from outside the arts councils there? Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that, however excellent and professional may be the quality of the arts, unless they can be properly sold and promoted there is not much point in providing money for them?
§ Mr. ChannonI am not sure that I go as far as that, but it is important that they should be sold and promoted correctly. That is one point which the ETB made to me. There is a lot to be said for that, particularly as regards local museums. I accept a great deal of what the hon. Gentleman says.