§ 21. Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place a copy of the speech of the Minister of State for the Arts to the Council of Regional Arts Associations on 15 April in the Library.
§ Mr. AspinwallWill my right hon. Friend ensure that more support is given to the arts in the regions, especially in the South-West, instead of so much support going to the London area?
§ Mr. ChannonThe regions should have a large slice of the money spent on the arts, and I am pleased that the proportion has been increasing in recent years. The level of artistic activity in the South-West is very high indeed. It is one of the best areas in the country.
§ Mr. FauldsIs not the answer to impose on local authorities a mandatory requirement to raise a specific rateage for arts and heritage purposes, to be used through the regional arts associations?
§ Mr. ChannonI am against a mandatory rate for the arts. I am in favour of people supporting the arts as generously as possible, but a mandatory rating system would not be consistent with local democracy.
§ Mr. D. E. ThomasWould not resources be more effectively distributed if the Arts Council was relieved of the burden of dealing with individual clients and there was an overall allocation of resources to regions?
§ Mr. ChannonA great deal of discussion is going on about whether more discretion should be given to regional arts associations. A working party has been set up by the Arts Council, local authorities and others concerned, and I have discussed the matter with local authorities. I hope that progress can be made.