§ 87. Mr. HagueTo ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the allocation to the Arts Council in current prices for each year since 1985.
§ Mr. LuceThe grant-in-aid to the Arts Council in 1985–86 was £105 million, which at 1989–90 prices, using the GDP inflator, is equivalent to £131 million. The figures for the following years were: 1986–87 £135.6 million (£163.9 million at current prices); 1987–88 £139.3 million (£159.9 million ); 1988–89 £150 million (£160.5 million); and 1989–90 £155.25 million. The figure for next year will be £175 million, equivalent to £166.7 million at today's prices, using the GDP forecast. Over the next three years, the compounded increase will be 22 per cent., compared to a projected compound increase of 12 per cent. in the GDP inflator over the whole of that period.