HC Deb 11 June 1990 vol 174 cc12-3
79. Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Minister for the Arts how many of London theatres benefit from public funds at the present time; how many theatres do not so benefit; and if he will make a statement.

The Minister for the Arts (Mr. Richard Luce)

Over 30 of the 100 main theatres in London are revenue-funded by the Arts Council or Greater London Arts. Local authorities fund several further theatres.

Mr. Greenway

Does my right hon. Friend agree that most London theatres are unsubsidised and must succeed without public funding? Therefore, is not it clear that theatres can succeed on their own two feet? It can cost, for example, £50 for a seat at Covent Garden—[Interruption.] Does my right hon. Friend agree that the theatres, which are standing on their own two feet—as the Crazy Gang always did, and the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) should know that—should be commended for doing so?

Mr. Luce

My hon. Friend is right that many of the commercial theatres in London—as I said, 30 out of 100 are revenue-funded—have been a remarkable story during the past decade. Audiences in those theatres had increased to 11 million in 1989, which is the highest since records began in 1981 and the box office for those theatres doubled in real terms during the same period. The story is therefore one of success and the theatres are to be congratulated.

Mr. Maclennan

What steps will the Minister take to ensure that the Royal Shakespeare Company is not dark for months during the winter, to the shame of the Government and the embarrassment of the country?

Mr. Luce

The Royal Shakespeare Company, which received an 11 per cent. increase this year in taxpayers' funding, has a wide range of productions. As I have made plain in the House on previous occasions, it is clear that every single arts body that is subsidised by the taxpayer should ensure that it can live within its means. I have great admiration for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Its audiences are good and I believe that with its finances in good order, it will continue to do an excellent job.

Mr. Bowis

Does my right hon. Friend agree that many small theatres still need some support and that those theatres, such as the King's Head theatre club, which has recently got into some difficulties, would be in less difficulty if the obstructions on their ability to run themselves were removed? I am thinking especially of the 48-hour membership rule.

Mr. Luce

My hon. Friend is right. However, I understand that last week Greater London Arts decided to restore revenue funding to the King's Head theatre club on clear understandings about the management of that arts organisation. My hon. Friend is right that there are many art organisations throughout the country. Not only in London, but in the country as a whole, the Arts Council's number of revenue clients has increased by 120 to 140 in the past 10 years. That shows how widely the money is spread.

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