HC Deb 19 November 1997 vol 301 cc179-80W
Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if Sir Richard Eyre's appointment to chair the review group on the future of the London Coliseum and the Royal Opera House was conditional on his support for the basic principle of merger; and if he will make a statement. [15606]

Mr. Fisher

The text of my letter to Sir Richard Eyre has already been placed in the Libraries of the House. It saysI shall be happy to receive the Working Group's recommendations, and I encourage you to think freely and creatively about the options". I am not aware of any suggestion of a merger of any kind between the Royal Opera House companies and English National Opera.