§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any further cuts in the arts budget, other than those already announced, have been decided upon either in respect of the current financial year or in respect of the financial year 1980–81; and whether he will give indications of the percentage levels concerned.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasNo further cuts are contemplated for the current year. The Government's public expenditure plans for 1980–81 and later years will be published in a White Paper in the autumn.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) by how much he expects public expenditure on community theatre to be reduced in the current finanical year and in the years 1980–81 and 1981–82;
(2) by how much he expects to reduce public expenditure on the arts in the city of Manchester and the North-West region, respectively, in the current financial year and in the years 1980–81 and 1981–82;
(3) by how much he expects public expenditure on the arts to be reduced in the current financial year and in the years 1980–81 and 1981–82.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe Arts Council has announced that, on average, cash grants to its clients will be reduced in the current year by something under 2 per cent. though the level of commitments entered into remains unchanged. The Government's public expenditure plans for 1980–81 and later years will be published in a White Paper in the autumn.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his estimate of the number of artists who will lose their jobs in the theatre and elsewhere in consequence of the effect on the arts of the Government's policy of increasing indirect taxation and reducing public expenditure.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe effect of the Budget as a whole has to be considered,494W including the reductions in income tax. The theatre and other arts can flourish only if the economy as a whole is put on a permanently sound footing.