To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding he has allocated for regional cultural consortia in each of the next three years. (225475)

The Regional Cultural Consortiums currently receive annual grant in aid of approximately £1.7 million. The Consortiums are in the process of being dissolved and will all cease to operate 31 March 2009. No further funding has been allocated to the Consortiums beyond this date.

We are providing an extra £50,000 per annum per region in 2009-10 and £25,000 per annum per region in 2010-11 to the four key public bodies, to assist them in developing and implementing their plans for the new arrangements in their regions.