Arts: Regional Theatres
Debate between Lord Ramsbotham and Baroness Rawlings
Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, the Government have negotiated a substantial settlement for the arts in these times of economic constraint. We have limited the cut to the Arts Council’s overall budget, grant in aid and lottery, to just 11 per cent. While grant in aid—just one part of the Arts Council’s overall income—is being reduced, we are reforming the lottery so that more money will go to the arts. An additional £80 million will go into the arts from the National Lottery each year from 2013.
Lord Ramsbotham
My Lords, I declare an interest as president of the Arts Alliance, which consists of all the organisations delivering arts to offenders. Does the Minister include in the funding of regional arts, the arts being delivered in prisons and to other offenders in the regions?
Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, I do not have the details of that here, but I very much hope so. I will write to the noble Lord with the answer.