§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to respond to the concerns expressed by the chair of the Arts Council, Sir Christopher Frayling, in his Royal Society lecture 2005 on the erosion of the arm's length principle by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. [HL1543]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport does not agree with the assertion that the arm's length principle is being eroded. She believes in the importance of the principle that decisions on funding for the arts continue to be taken free from political interference.