§ 37. Mr. Fearnasked the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to increase Government aid to opera companies.
§ Mr. LuceIt is for the Arts Council to decide how much of its moneys shall go to support opera companies. I plan to help arts bodies generally to increase their income from all sources.
§ Mr. FearnIs the Minister aware that help for the opera would he forthcoming if the 9 per cent. cut since 1979 to the Arts Council grant were restored? The sum involved is £151 million.
§ Mr. LuceIt is important for the hon. Gentleman to get his facts straight. The real increase in resources to the Arts Council since 1979 is 15 per cent. Since the hon. Gentleman's question was about opera, I must tell him that 23 per cent. of all resources for the Arts Council goes to opera, which is the most expensive form of art. Some outstanding opera companies in and outside London are helping to generate new opera audiences. The high cost of opera has to be borne in mind.
§ Mr. Simon CoombsWill my right hon. Friend tell the chairman of the Arts Council of the enormous support in the provinces for touring opera companies such as Opera 80 and Kent Opera, whose performances are widely appreciated in areas which cannot normally expect to see the major opera companies?
§ Mr. LuceYes. The chairman of the Arts Council is fully aware of that. The standards of excellence in the regional opera companies are extremely high. It is important for the future to generate new opera audiences.