HC Deb 15 February 1991 vol 185 cc626-7W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the principal achievements of his Department since June 1987.

Mr. Renton

The Government's achievements in the Arts since 1987 have been numerous and varied. Among the most important I would list:

The growth in central Government support for arts activities. By 1991–92, planned expenditure will have increased in real terms by 16 per cent. since 1987–88.

The establishment of a three-year programme of funding for the arts, and the introduction of measures to encourage greater self-reliance among arts institutions.

Following a comprehensive review, key decisions have been announced on the reform of the structure of the funding of the arts. The new system, which will start to be introduced over the next year, will provide more effective co-ordination of overall funding policy and strengthened accountability over the use of large and growing sums of public money, to the ultimate benefit of both the arts and the taxpayer.

The introduction and development of corporate planning for the national museums and galleries and other non-departmental bodies, linked to the three-year funding programme.

The major expansion schemes at some national museums and galleries, including the Clore gallery at the Tate, the new Tate gallery in Liverpool, the redevelopment of the Imperial War Museum, and the new Sainsbury wing at the National Gallery, due to open in the spring.

The setting up of the museums and galleries improvement fund—a joint initiative between Government and the Wolfson Charities, providing £4 million per year for the next three years towards the cost of priority renovation and refurbishment projects in United Kingdom museums and galleries.

New marketing initiatives to encourage arts bodies to market themselves more professionally and improve the quality of their management.

The significant upsurge in, and continued success of, business sponsorship of the arts. The business sponsorship incentive scheme has brought over £38 million of new money to the arts.

The development of incentive funding schemes for the performing arts and for public libraries, designed to encourage publicly-funded bodies to become more self-reliant in their development and growth.

The substantial progress made with the British Library's St. Pancras project. The first phase is on schedule for occupation in 1993, within its cash budget of £300 million. Books will be moved into the basements from mid-1991. And detailed design is in progress on the second phase, which will be completed in 1996. The cost of the whole project will be £450 million in cash. When the building is fully occupied, the bulk of the British Library's London-based collections will have been brought together for the first time and in modern storage conditions.

The publication of the consultative paper, "Financing our Public Library Service: Four subjects for debate", prompting possibly the widest debate on the service this century, and resulting in the protection of the core of the free public library service, through the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Back to
Forward to