§ 50. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister for the Arts whether he will make it his policy to increase the level of funding for the arts in Leicestershire.
§ Mr. LuceFunding for the arts in Leicestershire is a matter for the Arts Council and the Regional Arts Association. I am pleased to say that the Arts Council has been able to make a substantial increase in its grant to East Midlands Arts for activities in the region.
§ Mr. JannerIs the Minister aware of the magnificent work done by both the Haymarket and Phoenix theatres in Leicester and of the hard time that they have because they do not know from one year to the next how much funding they will receive or from where it will come? Is it not part of the Government's duty to ensure that magnificent organisations, such as these theatres, do not merely survive, but know how they will do so?
§ Mr. LuceI know that for many years the hon. and learned Gentleman has taken a close interest in these two theatres. I would have hoped that he would welcome the fact—if he did not perhaps already know it—that the East Midlands Arts Association has now allocated 701 £664,000 to the Leicester Haymarket theatre. I would have thought that that would make a major contribution to the health of the theatre. Now that the Phoenix theatre has begun to fulfil some of the conditions that it was asked to fulfil, the East Midlands Arts Association has started to restore funding. I am glad that the county council has contributed £35,000.