§ 16. Mrs. GoldingTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the West Midlands regional arts board about improving arts facilities for the disabled.
§ Mr. SproatI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney).
§ Mrs. GoldingThe West Midlands regional arts hoard has an excellent record of promoting disability arts. Will the Minister study its policies, which not only give access to the disabled, but help the disabled to get jobs in the art world? Will he then promote those policies through his position in Government?
§ Mr. SproatThe hon. Lady is absolutely right in congratulating the West Midlands regional arts board on what it does. It spends something like £94,000 a year on improving the lot of persons with disabilities in the arts. I know that, in its latest corporate plan, it specifically put forward ways in which it could help further those with disabilities. It sets an example which could well be followed by many another.