European Culture Capital

HC Deb 17 February 1998 vol 306 cc533-4W

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards an inquiry at European Union level on the financing of Thessalonika as European culture capital. [29827]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The financing of the annual European City of Culture programme is primarily a matter for the authorities of the city concerned. Cities raise funds from their own resources, normally with some support from their national Governments and, increasingly, from private sector sponsors.

The role of the EU is mostly limited to the process of designation. Each City of Culture receives only a nominal sum from the relevant Community cultural programme, Kaleidoscope, to help finance its operations, amounting to approximately 1 per cent. of the City's budget. In 1997, this sum was 400,000 ECU (£273,000).

As part of the overall programme, each City of Culture is also required to produce a report within six months of the end of the year. The report for 1997 by Thessalonika is due by the end of June 1998.