HL Deb 27 January 1971 vol 314 c953
LORD ST. JUST

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the acknowledged success of the Sadler's Wells Opera at the London Coliseum, they would consider purchasing the Coliseum for the nation and, in particular, for the Sadler's Wells Opera.]

THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)

The Government do not intend to purchase the Coliseum. The building is on lease to Sadler's Wells Opera until 1978. It will be for Sadler's Wells, in consultation with the Arts Council, to consider renegotiation of the lease nearer the time of expiry.

LORD ST. JUST

My Lords, I should like to thank the Minister for his reply. Is he aware that all we can do is to live in hope, remembering that at the end of the war the Royal Opera House was a Mecca dance hall and that the Government had to step in to purchase; and that Sadler's Wells Opera a short time ago was showing Cinerama? So the omens may be good.

VISCOUNT ECCLES

My Lords, I am aware of that. Of course I greatly appreciate the quality of productions at Sadler's Wells, but I think we must leave this to the Arts Council.