ARTS FUNDING IN LONDON

HL Deb 21 October 1991 vol 531 c116WA

Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the abolition of the Greater London Council and the winding down of Greater London Arts has endangered or reduced arts activities in the capital; and whether they have responded to the representations of the London Arts lobby.

Viscount Astor

On the abolition of the Greater London Council, the Government provided replacement funding to maintain arts spending through the Arts Council of Great Britain (approximately £18.2 million) and through increased allocations to individual London boroughs (approximately £10.6 million). Following the winding-up of Greater London Arts, the Arts Council similarly made available sufficient funding to the new London Arts Board to allow commitments to clients to be maintained. The Minister for the Arts met representatives of the London Arts Lobby on 31st July 1991 to discuss their views on future arrangements for arts funding in London.