§ 25. Mr. Freudasked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will announce the number of (a) positive and (b) negative responses he has received consequent upon the publication of "The Glory of the Garden".
§ Mr. WaldegraveAbout 1,500 representations—mostly, as is perhaps natural, lobbying for particular organisations which are seen to be under threat—have been received.
§ Mr. FreudI am grateful to the Minister for that information. Will he make it his constant practice to announce—even if he does not put the letters in the Library—what the reaction is for and against following publication of White Papers? Is there not unnecessary secrecy about these matters?
§ Mr. WaldegraveIf asked for, the information is always given to the House. We do not—this has come up in other contexts—make a practice of publishing responses, because it is not our responsibility to do that. We never disguise the weight of representations. In an exercise such as this, it is perhaps natural that there are more letters arguing for the maintenance of particular grants than there are welcoming new spending.
§ Mr. CormackWill my hon. Friend conduct a tutorial with the Philistines behind me so that he can explain to them the importance of the Arts Council's interesting, challenging and slightly provocative document, and so that he can tell them that every £1 spent on these rather desirable pursuits has a much better return than most other Government expenditure?
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am not sure how one would calculate such a return, or whether it would be sensible to do so. I am sure that I can delegate this operation to my hon. Friend with great confidence.