HC Deb 03 February 1997 vol 289 cc487-8W
14. Sir Sydney Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the Government's initiatives to promote business sponsorship of the arts. [12231]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The Government's arts pairing scheme, established in 1984 with the intention of bringing new sponsors into the arts, continues to be a success. To date, the scheme has made awards totalling more than £37 million, matching business sponsorship of over £77 million—more than £115 million in new money. Already in 1996–97 the number of awards made is 9 per cent. higher than in the whole of the previous year: over £4.8 million in awards, matching over £10 million in business sponsorship.