front bench interview
“It is important for Ministers to concentrate on stimulating an
environment in which all aspects of the arts can thrive while
remaining neutral about the sectors that should attract funding
and those which they believe should be marginalised. In the
case of the Arts Council, which is free to allocate its annual
budget across the spectrum of cultural activities, Ministers should
take an arm’s length view of the competing demands.”
to export earnings. Hunt illustrates that point spectrum of cultural activities, Ministers
by reference to the creative industries. “The should take an arm’s length view of the com-
UK is renowned for the quality of its architec- peting demands.
tural services which generate substantial fees “There would otherwise be a danger that
for UK practices. We have the third largest film funding would be provided for the ‘safest’ and
industry, and the second largest music pro- least controversial areas of Culture. The fact
duction sector in the world.” that we have a thriving creative industry is
Clearly, there is a role for the DCMS Secre- due at least in part to our willingness to fund
tary of State to encourage and promote the creative risk-taking.“
‘business areas’ within his remit, drawing the
line, however, at micromanaging the funding
of individual areas of activity.
Raising public awareness of Hunt
There were claims by a government minis- Unusually for a Shadow DCMS Secretary,
ter a year ago, for example, that opera was Jeremy Hunt has had several opportunities in
elitist and therefore less worthy of government the past few months to raise his profile in the
funding or subsidy than other, more populist media. There have been appearances on BBC
‘cultural’ pursuits. That such a statement came Question Time and Any Questions?, where he was
to be made at all reveals thinking within the representing Opposition policy as a whole.
Labour Party that it is a function of DCMS to But Mr Hunt has been involved in public
apply value judgements on how public fund- debate surrounding the future of broadcast-
ing should be allocated within the Arts. ing, and the funding of the BBC, an argument
Hunt is adamant that there should be a divi- which seems set to continue through the next
sion of responsibilities in financing cultural Election. Earlier in the year, there was con-
endeavours. “It is important for Ministers to troversy stoked by Alan Sugar’s continuing re-
concentrate on stimulating an environment in lationship with the BBC in the wake of his
which all aspects of the arts can thrive while taking up an unpaid appointment as a govern-
remaining neutral about the sectors that ment advisor. Above: Jeremy Hunt is the
should attract funding and those which they Hunt would have been guilty of political Conservative MP for South West
believe should be marginalised. neglect if he had not questioned whether Sug- Surrey, and Shadow Secretary of
“In the case of the Arts Council, which is ar’s next BBC series of The Apprentice could be State for Culture Media and
free to allocate its annual budget across the broadcast in the run up to a general election; Sport (CMS).
The Informed Executive
35
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