HC Deb 23 March 1976 vol 908 cc130-1W
Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations were held with the officers of the Arts Council of Great Britain prior to the preparation of the forecast of public expenditure on the arts to 1979–80 in Command Paper No. 6393.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Officials of the Department of Education and Science are regularly in touch with the officers of the Arts Council of Great Britain on all matters concerning Government grants to the Council.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the basis of the forecast of public expenditure on the arts to 1979–80 in Command Paper No. 6393.

Mr. Joel Barnett

The basis of the forecast is the figures given in the previous White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd. 5879) revalued to 1975 prices and taking account of the reduced provision for the education and libraries, science and arts programme as a whole.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account is taken of special inflation factors affecting the arts in the preparation of forecasts of public expenditure on the arts to 1979–80 in Command Paper No. 6393.

Mr. Joel Barnett

In common with all programmes, the forecasts of public expenditure on the arts in Command 6393 are at constant 1975 Survey prices and therefore take no account of inflation after that date.