§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what expenditure was made by his Department on(a) the arts and (b) design in the last financial year.
§ Mr. Chris Patten[holding answer 21 December 1989]: The Government's support for the arts, as the term is commonly used, is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts. I have joint responsibility with my right hon. Friend for the grant in aid to the national heritage memorial fund, and for the acceptance of land, property and works of art in lieu of tax. In the last financial year (1988–89) expenditure was split equally £3 million (£1.5 million each) and £2 million (£1 million each) respectively.
499WMore generally my Department contributed to expenditure on the arts in 1988–89 where inner city regeneration is concerned, for example through grant in aid to urban development corporations—the London Docklands development corporation spending £75,000 in 1988–89.
Among all its activities, PSA included, the Department aims to encourage good design especially through the public bodies it sponsors. Specifically, it has incurred expenditure of £365,000 through its sponsorship of the Royal Fine Art Commission, and contributed £12,000 as its share of the costs of the housing design awards, the other contributors being the Royal Institute of British Architects and the National House Building Council.