§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps(a) his Department and (b) the Arts Council take to establish the financial soundness of theatres which are supported by public funds. [61978]
§ Mr. Chris Smith[holding answer 1 December 1998]: Decisions relating to the funding of individual artforms and organisations, including theatres, are a matter for the Arts Council of England. It is therefore for the Arts 13W Council to satisfy itself as to an organisation's financial viability. It does this through a staged assessment procedure, which includes checks both before and after a grant is made.