§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 5 April (WA 184), on what date in August 2003 the application for funding for the 2003 West Belfast Festival arrived with the Belfast Regeneration Office; when the decision was made to pay the funding; how much it was; and on what basis it was awarded. [HL2956]
§ Baroness AmosOn 1 April 2003 Belfast Regeneration Office received a funding application for the West Belfast Festival. This application was rejected on 17 June 2003 on the basis that it exceeded the Belfast Regeneration Office three-year funding criterion. Ministers subsequently decided the existing arrangements for public funding of festivals in Northern Ireland lacked coherence and consistency across government and that a more strategic approach was needed. A festivals working group was established to take this forward.
In the interim, for 2003, it was decided that shortfall funding should be provided for certain key festivals subject to value for money being proven. On this basis a further application for funding for the 2003 West Belfast Festival was formally lodged with Belfast Regeneration Office on 15 August 2003. This application had been developed through close working between the festival organisers and government officials following the ministerial decision. Funding of £114,548 was awarded on 15 August 2003 on the basis that there was value to be obtained from government subvention for the festival in relation to several aspects 54WA of public policy namely, tourism, arts and culture and social/community development.