§ Mr. Nicholas Brownasked the Minister for the Arts, what discussions he has had with the Tyne Wear Theatre Company concerning funding after the abolition of the Tyne and Wear county council.
§ Mr. LuceIt will be for the Arts Council, the regional arts association and successor authorities to decide on the specific allocation of funds after abolition. I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 14 November 1985 at columns 700–710, when I announced that the Arts Council would be receiving a grant of £25 million in 1986–87 towards the funding of arts bodies in the areas presently covered by the GLC and the metropolitan counties.