§ Mr. Dorrellasked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he is in a position to announce the allocation of the arts and libraries programme for 1984–85.
§ Mr. WaldegraveSubject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates, my noble Friend the Minister for the Arts proposes the main allocations listed as follows for the financial year 1984–85. They are intended to allow broadly the present level of activity to be continued, taking account of the Government's assumptions on pay and price movements. It has also been possible to include provision for the following significant developments.
First, in the light of the report on the financial scrutiny of the Royal opera house and Royal Shakespeare company, the Government have decided to make special provision amounting to £4.1 million, within the total Arts Council grant of £100 million, to establish a satisfactory base line for the future operations of these two bodies, and to strengthen the financial base of the English national 115W opera, Scottish opera, Welsh national opera and Opera north. Details of these arrangements are being given in a separate parliamentary answer.
Secondly, the total recurrent provision for the national museums and galleries in England includes an additional £500,000 to help meet their conservation and other special needs, together with an allowance for certain technical adjustments. Detailed allocations to individual museums and galleries for purchase grants and other running costs will be announced later. Provision for the Museums and Galleries Commission also includes an additional £500,000 for a new scheme of grants to local museums for conservation and related purposes.
Thirdly, provision to be made in the Supply Estimates for the Property Services Agency's Vote, which is charged against the arts and libraries programme, will allow for continued net expenditure on the new British library St. Pancras building project as the work already authorised progresses, and for a substantial increase in building work expenditure at the national museums and galleries. This will enable priority to be given to an enlarged programme of repairs, maintenance and refurbishment at the museums and galleries; it will also allow for continued building work on the new Theatre museum for which contracts have now been let.
These allocations, together with provision for the staffing and administrative costs of the Office of Arts and Libraries and for certain other activities which will be the subject of separate announcements later, are within the total for the arts and libraries programme given in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement, as adjusted by the subsequent decisions on funding for the Royal Shakespeare and opera companies.
Original 1983–84 allocations and proposed 1984–85 allocations Arts and Heritage 1983–84 * 1984–85 £ million £ million Arts Council 92.000 100.000 British Film Institute 7.200 7.710 National Film and Television School 0.850 0.990 Crafts Council 1.700 1.777 Public Lending Right 2.000 2.000 South Bank Theatre Board 0.300 0.100 Government Art Collection 0.110 0.144 National Heritage Memorial Fund 0.001 1.500 Acceptances in Lieu 1.000 1.000 Museums National museums and galleries: purchase grants and other current provision 55.086 58.227 Museums and Galleries Commission 2.543 3.041 Libraries Etc British Library (current) 45.865 46.850 Royal Geographical Society 0.050 0.052 Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts 0.373 0.386 British Records Association 0.011 0.012 * As in original 1983–84 Supply Estimates.