§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to make the Arts Council more accountable to his Department in its expenditure of public funds on events not generally considered of an artistic kind, such as carnivals; if he will review the level of grant paid by the Government to the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonThe Arts Council is already accountable to Parliament for its expenditure, and is responsible for making the necessary artistic judgments. It would not be right for me to determine its priorities. The Arts Council assures me that its policy towards grants to carnivals is based on a proper consideration of artistic quality.