§ 1. Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what will be the outturn costs for funding of Southern Arts in 1996–97. [28331]
§ The Minister of State, Department of National Heritage (Mr. Iain Sproat)The forecast outturn costs of Southern Arts in 1996–97 are £4,306,000.
§ Mr. FaberIn view of that generous figure, can my hon. Friend explain why Southern Arts has this year seen fit to slash the core funding that it makes available to the Athenaeum theatre in Warminster in my constituency? Is he aware that this popular local theatre is now in something of a quandary in that, if it puts on the popular theatre that people want to see, it loses funding on artistic criteria grounds, but if it puts on the politically correct claptrap that Southern Arts wants it to put on, no one comes to see its productions? Does my hon. Friend agree that the Athenaeum is precisely the kind of popular, small, local theatre that we should be doing more to support? Will he draw this case to the attention of the Arts Council?
§ Mr. SproatI know from our discussions of the keen interest that my hon. Friend takes in the Athenaeum theatre in Warminster. Given that the Arts Council provides some 82 per cent. of Southern Arts' funding, I shall draw Southern Arts' activities to the attention of the chairman of the Arts Council.