Arts Council (Hansard, 21 January 2002)

§ The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone)
My Lords, the Government are closely monitoring the progress of the Arts Council as it implements its plans for a single organisation for arts funding. We remain confident that that will deliver, first, administrative savings throughout the system, allowing increased funding for arts organisations, and, secondly, greater scope in the regions to award that funding in the light of regional priorities. We will continue to monitor progress to make sure that those goals are achieved.

§ Viscount Falkland
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. It seems to me, however, that the changes are a fait accompli. It is not just restructuring; it is substantial reorganisation. Is the Minister aware that the Arts Council kindly sent me a copy of the written evidence that it submitted to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport on these matters? The council listed 14 areas of improvement that would result from the transfer of regional responsibility to a single, national body with responsibility for arts funding.
Does the Minister agree that the conclusions are interesting? In its conclusions, the council says that it accepts that the current regional structure already delivers some of those benefits but that it is necessary, 1332 in order to make the benefits more complete, to have a single organisation to deliver them. Without exception, all the benefits could be delivered more fully and more quickly within a single organisation than through the current 11 organisations in tile regional structure. Where has the Government's commitment to regionalism gone?

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I should explain that the Arts Council is trying to reduce the level of bureaucracy that has been involved in the funding of the arts for some time. There are 11 organisations and there is quite a lot of second-guessing between the centre and the regional arts boards. We want a more streamlined and less bureaucratic system, but one that is decentralised. It is important to get that point across. What lies behind the proposals is not greater centralisation, but the reverse. We support the Arts Council in bringing its proposals into line with regional government and the Government's commitment to regionalisation by moving from 10 to nine regions. Within those regions it will be possible for decisions to be made that are relevant to a particular region's needs as far as concerns the arts.

§ Lord Moser
My Lords, I declare an interest. I have had a long involvement with the Southern Arts Board, and, at present, I am chairman of the Playhouse in Oxford and of Music at Oxford.
In my years as president of Southern Arts, I learnt that the arts depend ultimately on local involvement. May I ask the Minister three questions?

Noble Lords
No!

§ Lord Moser
My Lords, perhaps I may ask two questions. I shall make the three into two. Long statistical experience enables me to do that.
The Arts Council today announced that the regions would become ever more important. How does that square with devolution, which is the present situation? It is being replaced with minor delegation.
My second question is about the proposed staff cuts. How many of those cuts will fall on the central—now monolithic—organisation, as opposed to the regions?

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I am happy for the noble Lord, Lord Moser, to ask three questions, but I shall answer only two.
Improving regional representation and making sure that the regions have a voice will happen through a completely restructured Arts Council. What is proposed is a new system under which all the chairmen of the regional advisory councils that are being set up under the reorganisation will be members of the Arts Council and will be able to reflect regional interests, needs and arguments at the centre. That is a substantial step forward.
1333 The Government have asked the Arts Council to make sure that its commitment to making savings is fulfilled. The council is expected to save between £8 million and £10 million. The great majority of those savings will fall on the centre.

§ Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
My Lords, I shall declare an interest as executive director of the National Theatre, which is in receipt of funds from the Arts Council of England. Is the Minister aware that the current funding system in this country does not serve the arts well? There is widespread support among arts organisations for this much needed reinvention of the funding system. The current system is extremely bureaucratic and diffuse.
Does the Minister agree that proper accountability to Parliament for the dispensation of public funds to the arts is likely to be better achieved through one organisation than through 11?

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend Lady McIntosh of Hudnall that too much money is spent on bureaucracy and not enough goes directly to the arts organisations that we want to see benefiting, and that is the purpose behind the change, as I said. There are too many separate funding schemes—currently over 100. That is what I meant when I said that there was a need for greater streamlining.
I am also very aware of the fact that many arts organisations themselves favour the change. An independent survey was undertaken as part of the consultation exercise, and it showed that, of the 74 arts organisations that responded, around two thirds were either positive or neutral about the change and only about a third were negative. That is a reflection of what my noble friend has just said.