§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will make a statement about Ministerial responsibility for the crafts.
§ Mrs. ThatcherMy noble Friend the Paymaster-General has made a statement on this subject the text of which is as follows
The crafts have long been recognised as an assembly of activities which fall between the fine arts and industry. Hitherto the industrial aspect has been held to be the more important and the crafts have been the responsibility of the Board of Trade. Presidents of the Board of Trade, notably Sir Stafford Cripps, have taken a personal interest in the artist-craftsmen, but the present Government consider that the time has come to recognise the individual skills of these men and women by transferring responsibilities in relation to their activities to the Minister responsible for the arts. I welcome this change and will try to be of service to the wide variety of artist-craftsmen whose work I admire very much. 469W Regarding the crafts in Scotland and Wales respectively I shall be in close touch with my right hon. Friends the two Secretaries of State who will continue to co-ordinate the activities of Scottish and Welsh organisations concerned with enabling craftsmen to earn a living by the practice of their craft.