§ 2.17 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT NORWICHMy 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 what arrangements have been made for the assistance of the artist craftsman.]
§ THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (VISCOUNT ECCLES)My Lords, the Government are setting up an Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Paul Sinker to advise them on policy for the artist craftsman. The terms of reference of the Advisory Committee are:
To advise the Paymaster General on the needs of the artist craftsman and to promote through the central office for the crafts a nation-wide interest and improvement in their products ".The Committee will be serviced by a central office for the crafts, and I am glad that the Council of Industrial Design have agreed in principle that Sir Paul Reilly, their Director, should be responsible for this office. Arrangements for Scotland and Wales are being discussed with my right honourable friends the Secretaries of State.
§ VISCOUNT BOYD OF MERTONMy Lords, speaking as a former Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company, may I ask the noble Viscount whether he realises the great satisfaction that his imaginative move is giving to such Companies?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I thank my noble friend. Perhaps I may tell him that I have had the most excellent advice and help from the Goldsmiths' Company.
§ LORD RAGLANMy Lords, can the noble Viscount inform me what an artist craftsman is?
§ VISCOUNT ECCLESMy Lords, I think I must say that this is a very difficult definition; but clearly there are craftsmen whose work really equals that of any artist in what one might describe as fine arts; there are others who are really very near industrial producers. Our intention is to go for high quality first.