§ Mr. LuceI visited the Photographers Gallery on 23 March for the presentation of the Photographers Trust Fund prizes and bursaries.
§ Mr. BoyesOn behalf of all hon. Members who have an interest in photography, I hope that the Minister will accept that we are extremely grateful that he has made at least two visits to the Photographers Gallery. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. 700 Fisher) has also visited the gallery. I am absolutely sure that the Minister has been impressed by what he saw in the Leicester Square gallery. Will he give an assurance that he will give a bursary of some sort to a young photographer to work perhaps in the House of Commons or somewhere else? Such action would encourage photography, which, as everyone knows, is a medium in which all people may indulge at low cost.
§ Mr. LuceI know of the hon. Gentleman's intense interest in phtography, so much so that he encouraged me to join in the House of Commons competition.
However, having seen my photographs developed, I am reserving my right whether or not to enter the competition. I accept that photography is of interest to a great many people, and the Arts Council, the regional arts associations and the MSC between them provide something like £1.3 million to help photographers in this country. I hope that the hon. Gentleman welcomes that.
§ Mr. BaldryIf bursaries are given to photographers, surely that is exactly the type of area where private industry and enterprise can make a greater contribution. What we want as an encore are more speeches similar to the one that my right hon. Friend made last week regarding funding for the arts. What work is being done in my right hon. Friend's Department to consider how photographers in West Germany, Japan and the United States are supported by private enterprise and, indeed, how the arts in general are supported in that manner in those countries?
§ Mr. LuceMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The more that bursaries can be funded from the private sector, the better. It is happening all the time. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his remarks about my speech. I only wish that the Opposition would acknowledge that the general election has taken place and the people have expressed their views. The arts world must go along with that, and I am sure that it will benefit from the fact that the private sector can offer a great deal of help in the raising of extra funds. The private sector has a great deal to do.