33. Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Minister for the Arts when he next plans to meet the chairman of the London Arts Board to discuss funding for the arts in London.
§ Mr. RentonI met the chairman and chief executive of the new London Arts Board on 18 November to hear about the excellent progress made in setting up the new board and its plans for the immediate future. Since then, the Arts Council has announced at 13.9 per cent. increase in its grant to the London Arts Board for 1992–93.
Mr. HughesI congratulate my right hon. Friend on that answer. When he next meets the chairman of the London Arts Board, will he discuss with him the suggestion made by some others that regional arts boards might be abolished? Will my right hon. Friend tell the chairman that the Government support regional arts boards and that he will do everything to fight their abolition? Will my right hon. Friend condemn those who are trying to abolish regional arts boards?
§ Mr. RentonYes, I will certainly do that. The boards have got off to a very successful start. They have strong chairmen and chairwomen and are now nearly complete. I believe that they will be very successful in using the average 17 per cent. increase that they have been given by the Arts Council. I was most surprised when Labour's shadow spokesman for the arts said during a radio interview, which I shared with him, that under Labour's policy, regional arts boards would disappear. I believe that there was some confusion on the hon. Gentleman's part, but obviously the suggestion has caused great concern among the boards.