§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to make bodies which distribute arts(a) capital and (b) revenue funding more democratically accountable to the regional community in which they operate. [167288]
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§ Estelle MorrisArts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from the Exchequer and the National Lottery. The arts funding system in England has already reorganised along the lines of the Government's regional plans. On April 1 2002 the Arts Council and the 10 independent regional arts boards joined together to create a single organisation for the arts in England. Six to eight members of the 15–20 membership of the Regional Arts Councils are local authority nominees and the Chairs of the nine Regional Arts Councils are members of the National Council and form the majority of its membership of 15. This restructuring has given the regions real empowerment in decision-making and the delivery of the arts.