The Royal Shakespeare Company (Hansard, 2 July 1990)

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)
My Lords, the Government recognise the important role of the Royal Shakespeare Company as a national centre of excellence and one of the world's leading drama companies. The future role of the company must however be a matter for its board of management and the Arts Council as the main funding body.

§ Lord Morris of Castle Morris
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer. Since the matter was last discussed in your Lordships' House, Royal Insurance has renewed its generous sponsorship yet again without producing any corresponding response from the Government. Is this because the Government still believe their subsidy to be sufficient? Or could it be because the Arts Council refuses to accept an earmarked grant?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, the grant to individual arts bodies is determined by the Arts Council independently of, and usually prior to, any commercial sponsorship obtained. The Government have maintained their grant to the Arts Council and sponsorship is an additional resource, not a replacement, for this. However, we welcome very much the decision of Royal Insurance to renew and to increase its sponsorship of the RSC.

§ Lord Beloff
My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that were the Royal Shakespeare Company to put on Shakespeare properly, it would attract large audiences, particularly from the schools? It would then perhaps be able to manage without a subsidy altogether.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, that is a matter for the board of management of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

§ Lord Jenkins of Putney
My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that—uncharacteristically—the noble Lord, Lord Beloff, is talking nonsense? Does she further agree that separation she draws between state and government support and commercial sponsorship—both of which are welcome—has always been, and will remain, important?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, since the Government came to power the Arts Council's grant has risen by nearly one-third in real terms. This year it has risen by 12.5 per cent.; over the next three years it will increase by 22 per cent. Economic factors will always mean that there are lean periods for arts companies, as for business in general. The fact that major arts organisations know three years in advance the expected level of their Arts Council grant means that arts companies can plan better to deal with their problems.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the noble Lord, Lord Beloff, makes a sound point? Is she further aware that I have been a regular attender at Stratford-upon-Avon every year for many years? Some young producers achieve productions so unconventional that they literally become a send-up of the work. The basic attraction of Shakespeare's wonderful plays is completely spoiled.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, the arts are booming as never before. Annual attendances at subsidised performances in England have increased from over 7 million in 1984–85 to over 9 million now. They are expected to rise to over 10 million next year.

§ Baroness Birk
My Lords, every time a Question is asked on the arts, we are all pleased to recognise the Government's great support and recognition of whichever theatre or museum is mentioned. Nevertheless, did the Minister not say that there were lean periods for arts companies? Is it right that arts companies should go through continuous lean periods and be underfunded all the time? That is the case here. It has been pointed out not only by the Priestly and Cork reports but also by the recent Wilding report. Are the Government prepared to do something about it before arts companies start to lose all the business sponsorship that has been gained?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, the Arts Council grant is above the rate of inflation. Funding of the RSC is a matter for the Arts Council. This financial year, the council has given the RSC an extra 11 per cent., taking its grant to over £6 million. Every organisation must operate within the resources available to it.

§ Baroness Birk
My Lords, should not the Government give the Arts Council more money so that it has the opportunity to give bigger subsidies?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, as I have just said, the Arts Council has been given more money by the Government. If the noble Baroness reads Hansard tomorrow, she will see that I gave that answer to a previous question.

§ Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that most of our distinguished actors started life in the repertory theatre? Throughout this country the large number of provincial repertory theatres are the nursery of the acting profession. Those theatres are just as worthy of support as the Royal Shakespeare Company. In view of its fame, the company is quite capable of standing on its feet.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I agree that repertory is the best cradle for actors of the future. The quality of British arts is the best in the world and the capital city has an enormous variety. However, I am not just talking about London. The re-emergence of the great regional cities as centres of artistic excellence has been a splendid success over recent years. Birmingham, for example, is becoming the second city for the arts.

§ Lord Morris of Castle Morris
My Lords, following upon what the noble Baroness said, the value of the RSC to tourism has been conservatively estimated at about £25 million per year—

Noble Lords
Reading!

§ Lord Morris of Castle Morris
My Lords, can the Minister say how often officials at the OAL meet their counterparts at the Department of Employment which is responsible for tourism in order to assess that income and to assist the RSC to increase it? To put it another way, why starve this goose which lays such golden eggs?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, any meetings would be a matter for the board of management—

Noble Lords
Reading!

§ Baroness Trumpington
I am not reading—and the Arts Council itself.