§ Viscount Merseyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm the report m The Times of 7th June that the Arts Council believe that £17 million in arts funding will be lost as a result of the abolition of the GLC and the metropolitan county councils and whether this belief is justified.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Arts (The Earl of Gowrie)I have seen the press release issued by the Arts Council about the total amount needed to support the arts after the abolition of the Greater London Council and the Metropolitan County Councils. I understand that the Arts Council will be making a formal request for increased funding in due course and I will of course consider this, along with any other claims for increased arts funding which are put to me. Last year I announced that additional central funding of £16 million would be provided for the Arts Council in 1986–87. This was intended to cover most, but not all, of the upper tier authorities' budgeted 1983–84 level of performing arts spending, expressed in 1986 prices. The balance of that spending supported arts activities of a mainly local nature, and it remains the Government's view that these should be the responsibility of the successor borough and district authorities whose ratepayers will carry a smaller burden after abolition.