LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL (Hansard, 25 February 1986)

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will soon lay before both Houses a property order which will include a provision transferring the hall to the Merseyside Residuary Body on 1st April. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society are currently establishing a charitable trust which could subsequently be responsible for the hall. The Government are sure that the residuary body will wish to consult with the trust and other interested parties before deciding on final arrangements for the ownership and management of the hall.

The Government took the decision to transfer the hall to the residuary body in the light of the Arts Council committing itself to provide an additional grant of £137,500 to the society. This will enable the society in 1986–87 to pay rent to the residuary body for the use of the hall. The residuary body will meet the balance of the running costs of the hall, recovering those costs through the districts, until such time as final decisions are taken on the ownership and management of the hall. I hope that the longer-term future of the hall will be secured with continuing financial assistance from the Arts Council, the five district councils and, wherever possible, the private sector.