§ Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Minister for the Arts whether he will announce funding for the Arts Council in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceI am able now to announce many of the details of the arts budget for 1987–88.
The central Government arts budget for 1987–88 has been set at £339 million, an increase of £17 million and about 5.5 per cent. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates, I propose that the allocations to specific institutions and schemes shall be as follows.
Rather more than half of the overall increase in the central Government programme is for the British library's major building project. But there will also be increased spending in a number of other areas. I am also pleased to announce a new marketing initiative which will complement the present very successful business sponsorship incentive scheme.
30WThe recurrent grant to the British library will be increased to £51 million in 1987–88, and includes £600,000 for the Corn Stores building project in Boston Spa. Provision of £18.6 million is being made for continued expenditure on the construction of the Library's new St. Pancras building, and on the Library's existing accommodation.
The Arts Council grant will be increased to £138.4 million. The basic provision will be £113.8 million, together with a continuation of the special provision of £0.6 million for Scotland. This represents an increase of £3.8 million (3.4 per cent.) over the current year figure. Post-abolition funding will be increased from the planned level of £21 million to £24 million (and from £20 million to £23 million in 1988–89).
A sum of £ 0.25 million is being made available for a new arts marketing scheme to be run by the Office of Arts and Libraries. Arts bodies, museums and libraries in receipt of public funds will be invited to submit entries to a competition for awards for new marketing initiatives. The scheme will be launched on 1 January 1987, and I shall be announcing further details next month. The business sponsorship incentive scheme will continue with provision of £1.75 million for awards in the coming year, the same amount as in 1986–87.
The grant to the British Film Institute next year will be £10.03 million. I am increasing the supplement given last year to match funding from other sources for film production. Post-abolition funding will be £1.3 million, the same as in 1986–87.
The National Film and Television School's grant will be £1.127 million: baseline funding of £1.071 million arid £56,000 for improvements to the school's buildings.
The grant to the Crafts Council, at £2.022 million, will be £97,000 higher than the current year's provision.
The National Heritage Memorial Fund will receive £3 million next year, jointly from the Office of Arts and Libraries and the Department of the Environment. The fund has also received substantial additional funding from the Department of the Environment in recent years.
Basic provision for acceptances in lieu of tax will he maintained at £2 million, jointly from the Office of Arts and Libraries and Department of the Environment. The arrangements for possible calls on the Reserve of up to £10 million per annum, announced by my predecessor on 26 July 1985, remain in force.
The 1987–88 provision for the public lending right will be £2.75 million, the same as in the current year.
Overall provision for museums and galleries will rise by £3.896 million, an increase of 3.8 per cent. over the present year. The individual allocations in this part of the arts programme will be announced in due course. They will cover the running costs, purchase grants and building programme of the national museums and galleries and the grants to the Greater Manchester museum of science and industry and the Museums and Galleries Commission.
31W
Table of main allocations £ million 1986–87 1987–88 Arts Arts Council 135.600 138.400 Basic provision (110.000) (113.800) Post-abolition funding (25.000) (24.000) Special addition (Scottish national companies) (0.600) (0.600)
1986–87 1987–88 British Film Institute 9.738 10.030 National Film and Television School 1.100 1.127 Crafts Council 1.925 2.022 Government Art Collection 0.155 0.159 Business Sponsorship Incentive Scheme 1.750 1.750 South Bank Theatre Board 0.001 0.001 Arts Marketing Scheme — 0.250 Research services 0.314 0.200 Heritage National Heritage Memorial Fund (OAL share) 1.500 1.500 Acceptances in Lieu (OAL Vote share) 1.000 1.000 Libraries British Library current grant 49.800 51.000 British Library captial/maintenance (PSA) 9.861 18.604 Royal Geographical Society 0.054 0.054 Royal Commission on Historic Manuscripts 0.540 0.533 Public Lending Right Scheme 2.750 2.750 Museums and Galleries 103.884 107.780