DCMS Select Committe inquiry

[Madweasels]

Tom Watson, MP, who sits on the Department of Culture Media and Sport Select committee writes. "We?ve just announced a new inquiry and have issued a call for evidence on Funding of the Arts and Heritage. We?re inviting written submissions and requesting views on the following issues."

What impact recent, and future, spending cuts from central and local Government will have on the arts and heritage at a national and local level;
What arts organisations can do to work more closely together in order to reduce duplication of effort and to make economies of scale;
What level of public subsidy for the arts and heritage is necessary and sustainable;
Whether the current system, and structure, of funding distribution is the right one;
What impact recent changes to the distribution of National Lottery funds will have on arts and heritage organisations;
Whether the policy guidelines for National Lottery funding need to be reviewed;
The impact of recent changes to DCMS arm?s-length bodies ? in particular the abolition of the UK Film Council and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council;
Whether businesses and philanthropists can play a long-term role in funding arts at a national and local level;
Whether there need to be more Government incentives to encourage private donations."

For more info, see his Blog : -

http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2010/07/cuts...s-funding/

[deadlylampshade]

Have I missed something? I can't see a stated aim of the inquiry nor what it hopes to achieve (although the list of questions makes it pretty clear I suppose).

Interesting to know why it is called an inquiry too which suggests someone somewhere is asking questions and if so who and what? Or are we to assue it is just part and parcel of cost reduction exercises?

Anyone know any more on the source of this inquiry?

[Madweasels]

This is the official page - Tom Watson simply cut and pasted...

http://tiny.cc/vd1w6

Sorry. No further info.

[deadlylampshade]

Thanks...I'm failing miserably to find out from elsewhere...I'll just have to give them a ring I suppose!

I'm obviously far too long in the tooth for this sort of thing but does anyone else feel that Government business shouldn't be conducted via individual MP's blogs??

<<Harumph, shakes 'The Telegraph' (or any other broadsheet) in disapproval>>