Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Bradshaw Excerpts
Thursday 4th June 2015

(9 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Vaizey of Didcot Portrait Mr Vaizey
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I know that my hon. Friend, who is standing to be the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, is an aficionado of the Turner prize, as well as many other cultural events. He will know—I do not need to tell him—that Derry/Londonderry benefited from a huge range of events, from the BBC and other cultural organisations, and I expect Hull to benefit in the same way.

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
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I am sorry that the Secretary of State is not answering this question, because only a couple of months ago, when he was the Chair of the Select Committee, he authored an excellent report highlighting the scandal of the imbalance in funding for the English regions compared with London. Now that he is in a position to implement it, will he?

Lord Vaizey of Didcot Portrait Mr Vaizey
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I am afraid that this is the second time that Opposition Members have asked for the Secretary of State to respond. Unfortunately, they have to put up with me, and I apologise for that. I am pleased that the chief executive of the Arts Council took note of the excellent report put forward by the Select Committee. As a member of that Select Committee, the right hon. Gentleman should be aware that civil servants now pore over these reports as though they were sacred texts.