§ 30. Mr. Bestasked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will give the level of funding for the Arts Council in Wales for each of the last six years.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI will, with permission Mr. Speaker, make the complete list of figures available in the Official Report. The funding has risen from £3.94 million in 1978–79 to £6.54 million in 1983–84.
§ Mr. BestWill my hon. Friend acknowledge the importance of the arts in Wales, particularly for those visitors to the Principality who suffer the deprivation of not being able to enjoy the arts in Wales every day of their lives? Will he comment on my perception of those figures, which is that broadly, in real terms, the level of funding has remained about the same, even though that has been at a time of supposed financial restraint?
§ Mr. WaldegraveI confirm the importance which the Government attach to the arts in Wales. My hon. Friend is right to say that on the latest figures, up to 1984–85, spending on the arts in Wales has been just about within 1 per cent. protected against inflation.
§ Following are the figures:
| Arts Council's grant-in-aid to the Welsh Arts Council | |
| Year | £ million |
| 1978–79 | 3.94 |
| 1979–80 | 4.58 |
| 1980–81 | 5.06 |
| 1981–82 | 5.61 |
| 1982–83 | 6.70 |
| 1983–84 | 6.54 |
§ Source: WAC annual Income and Expenditure Accounts.
§ The Arts Council's allocation to the WAC in the current year is £6.92 million.