HC Deb 17 March 1993 vol 221 c237W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) on 10 November 1992,Official Report, columns 687–89, if he will include Scottish local authorities in the examination of local provision of arts, theatres and library facilities which is being carried out by a firm of consultants; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Brooke

[holding answer 16 March 1993]: On libraries, the Scottish Office will be involved with the work of the steering committee overseeing the exercise. Whether any Scottish local authorities will be among the pilot projects themselves has yet to be determined. The possibility that Scottish local authorities might be included with English ones in a single consultancy study of local authority management of arts facilities is under consideration.

Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) of 10 November 1992,Official Report columns 687–89, if he will make a further statement concerning (a) the remit of the consultants who are to examine the local authority provision of library services, arts and theatre facilities, (b) the choice of consultants, (c) the expected cost of the investigation and (d) when he expects to receive the final report from the said consultants.

Mr. Brooke

[holding answer 16 March 1993]: The steering committee which will oversee the pilot projects on libraries will begin work soon. One of its first tasks will be to decide the remit of any associated consultancy work and a procedure for appointment.

Broadly, the remit for the consultants who will be undertaking the study of local authority arts facilities will be to make recommendations on how efficiency in this area of local authority management might best be improved through the introduction of increased competition. I expect to make further announcements in due course concerning both libraries and arts facilities; these will also cover the costs and timetables for consultancy work involved.