§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government propose to provide further support for the Royal College of Music centenary appeal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephSince the appeal was launched in February last year it has raised from industry, commerce and other private sources around £1.9 million in donations236W and promises and building work totalling £850,000 is now under way. £200,000 was spent in financial year 1982–83 and under the terms of its original agreement, which I described in the answer to my hon. Friend on 8 March 1982—[Vol. 19, c. 313.]—the Government have met £100,000 of this. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Department's Estimates for 1983–84, a further £100,000, being the balance of the original £200,000 offered, will be paid in the present financial year when total expenditure reaches £400,000.
The Government also intend, on behalf of the taxpayer and again subject to parliamentary approval, to make further contributions towards the cost of approved building and asssociated expenditure undertaken as a result of the appeal, of £100,000 as and when the appeal, from sources other than the Government, has received a total of £2 million, and of a second £100,000, as and when it has received a total of £3 million.