Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Oral Answers to Questions

Tristram Hunt Excerpts
Monday 21st June 2010

(14 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Vaizey of Didcot Portrait Mr Vaizey
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I share my hon. Friend’s concern. In opposition, we campaigned against the cuts to national lottery funding imposed by the previous Government. I am delighted that we are bringing forward measures to increase the funding available for the arts from the national lottery: in two years’ time it will have increased by £50 million a year.

Tristram Hunt Portrait Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab)
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The Minister will know that the Heritage Lottery Fund was a major contributor to the award-winning Wedgwood museum in Stoke-on-Trent. He will also know that, as a result of Pension Protection Fund legislation, the museum is in real danger of closure and threatened with a dispersal of its collection and archive. Will he meet my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Robert Flello) and me, so that we can ensure that the Government have a proper solution to the impending court case?

Lord Vaizey of Didcot Portrait Mr Vaizey
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The hon. Gentleman is a distinguished historian who recently won an important history prize. This is an important issue which we are watching very closely, and I should be delighted to meet him to discuss it.