§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Minister for the Arts (1) if he will explain the corporate roles of the Arts Council and the Crafts Council and list the similarities and differences between those roles; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will list the various craftspeople, educationists, retailers, guilds and societies active in the craft business which were consulted by the author of the Wilding report during the preparation of that report;
(3) if he will make a statement on the comparative performance, in the fields of business and fund-raising, of the Arts Council and of the Crafts Council;
(4) if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals for merging the Crafts Council with the Design Council.
§ Mr. LuceIn reaching a decision on the future of the Crafts Council, I am considering carefully the many representations I have received on this subject. I shall announce my conclusions as soon as possible, and I shall write to the hon. Member in more detail when I have done so. Before deciding whether to accept Mr. Wilding's recommendation to merge the Crafts Council with the Arts Council, I shall want to be sure that any new structure of support enables the crafts to continue to flourish. This Government are concerned to see the continued expansion of the crafts in this country.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list on a year-by-year basis the number of craftspersons grant-aided by the Crafts Advisory Committee and its successor, the Crafts Council, to help set up new businesses between 1971 and 1989, inclusive.
§ Mr. LuceThe information is as follows: 683W
Number of individual craftsmen and women assisted Year Number 1971–72 7 1972–73 14 1973–74 40 1974–75 66 1975–76 68 1976–77 71 1977–78 67 1978–79 33 1979–80 48 1980–81 42 1981–82 47 1982–83 35 1983–84 41 1984–85 39 1985–86 40 1986–87 35 1987–88 39 1988–89 30 Total 762