§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra in relation to the proposed abolition of Merseyside county council.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have been asked to reply.
After abolition of Merseyside county council the orchestra, along with other major performing arts bodies in the GLC and metropolitan areas, should discuss its needs with the Arts Council, which will receive for this purpose an additional £16 million of central funding in 1986–87—and equivalent sums in subsequent years. The orchestra is well known to the Arts Council, which has made grants to it for many years.