HC Deb 07 March 1994 vol 239 cc11-2
14. Mr. Jessel

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how he expects the national lottery to help the arts.

Mr. Brooke

By law, one fifth of the net proceeds of the national lottery will be distributed by the Arts Council towards expenditure on, or connected with, the arts, including film and crafts. That substantial amount of extra money will allow a major enhancement of the fabric of arts provision in the United Kingdom. The arts may also benefit from projects supported by the Millennium Commission.

Mr. Jessel

While the national lottery will help the arts, is my right hon. Friend aware that some arts items are so urgent that they really cannot be expected to wait for funds from the national lottery proceeds? For example, funds ought to be found in the very next year for items such as the repair of the Albert memorial.

Mr. Brooke

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, whose concern for the performing arts is known throughout the House. There has been a fairly constant canard that my Department has diverted money to the Albert memorial and away from the Arts Council. I assure my hon. Friend that I regard repairs to the Albert memorial as urgent, but my Department has voted no money for that in the next year.

Dr. Godman

Is it reasonable to expect a substantial contribution to be made from national lottery moneys for the building and staffing of the proposed Royal Scottish gallery of art while maintaining, given its excellence, the Scottish national portrait gallery?

Mr. Brooke

The distributor would be the National Heritage Memorial Fund, which relies on bids being made to it by the bodies seeking the money. It is not something which happens from the top down.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

Does my right hon. Friend accept that, important and welcome though the extra money from the national lottery will be, it is equally important to ensure that it is distributed fairly and sensibly? Will he comment on that in the light of some recent rather unpredictable decisions by the Arts Council?

Mr. Brooke

The Arts Council, like the other distributors, is preparing its plans for when it will have money available from the national lottery. I do not know how far advanced its plans are, but it will no doubt hear my hon. Friend's question.