§ Mr. CallaghanTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the current level of Government expenditure per capita on the arts. [29930]
§ Mr. SproatThe arts benefit from a complex system of plural funding. Direct central Government funding for the arts in the UK amounts to £242 million in 1996–97. In addition, local authorities spend an amount on the arts in the region of that provided by central Government through the four arts councils which in 1996–97 is more than £233 million. On top of this, it is anticipated that the arts' share of lottery awards will exceed £300 million this year. This adds up to public funding in the UK for the arts in excess of £775 million. Based on these figures, the current level of Government expenditure per capita on the arts is at least £13.27. There are, however, other sources of arts funding generated through Government expenditure, either directly or indirectly, and it is therefore difficult to give a per capita figure which is a true reflection of the overall picture.