§ Mr. Cordleasked the Prime Minister (1) in view of the recent grant to the Arts Council of a further £2½ million to assist the arts, what comparable sum is being given to assist the crafts;
(2) what steps are being taken to implement paragraph 67 of Command Paper No. 2601, A Policy for the Arts, in particular that part of it which deals with the contribution of the crafts in the field of education and leisure pursuits.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Board of Trade has offered the Crafts Council of Great Britain an annual grant to encourage those of the Council's activities that fall within the Board's area of responsibility, and this offer is under discussion between the Board and the Council. Educational establishments are free to work out for themselves the content of their courses, but the contribution which the crafts can make to education and leisure pursuits is widely recognised and efforts are continually being made to improve the way in which they are taught.