§ 23. Sir David Priceasked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what steps the Government are taking to support the Council of Europe's promotion of 1985 as the European year of music.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. William Waldegrave)I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to him on 26 March. The Government welcome the concept of the European music year and are confident that the United Kingdom committee, under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, will produce a popular and diverse programme.
§ Sir David PriceIs my hon. Friend aware that the recent Euro-election cost the British taxpayer about £20 million and produced a 32 per cent. response from the public? Does he accept that if the Government spent only 10 per cent. of that—£2 million—we would get a better response from the British public for the European year of music than for the Euro-elections? Does he agree that the British public would find that music was more the food of love than Euro-elections?
§ Mr. CormackAnd better harmonisation too.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI shall leave the jokes to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, South (Mr. Cormack). I can find no ground on which to disagree with my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price). The Arts Council has made resources available for administration and is considering continuing that.
§ Mr. FisherWill the Under-Secretary acknowledge that this Government's and country's contribution to the European year of music represents a cut of nearly £1 million in the grant to opera and to music next year—a £711,000 cut for music and a £235,000 cut for opera? Will 683 the hon. Gentleman reconsider the decision, because it is an inappropriate way for the Government to celebrate the European year of music?
§ Mr. WaldegraveI congratulate the hon. Gentleman on making his political point. Overall, resources for the arts are being increased in the two years concerned. The distribution of resources is a matter for the Arts Council.
§ Mr. GristDoes my hon. Friend agree that it would be a pretty strange way of celebrating the European year of music if we abolished one of London's orchestras, as called for in "The Glory of the Garden" by the Arts Council?
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is not the abolition of an orchestra that is spoken of in that document but the suggestion that it might move to another city. I understand that those discussions are continuing with the Arts Council.
§ Mr. MeadowcroftWill the Minister consider commending the possibility during this year of focusing attention on the need to encourage children to continue playing music after they have left school, given that on many occasions the encouragement given at school has no practical expression thereafter and that this is a gap in our musical system?
§ Mr. WaldegraveThat is a sensible suggestion, but I am not sure whether it is for my noble Friend so much as for the Secretary of State for Education and Science.