asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 April (WA 275–6), whether sexual orientation monitoring is an informal requirement of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for the Arts Council England. [HL3251]

Sexual orientation monitoring is not a requirement of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for Arts Council England. However, we understand and support the Arts Council in monitoring the distribution of its funds to ensure fairness between groups in our society.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 April (WA 275–6), why the Arts Council England has been instructed, required or advised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to monitor its overall grant-making programmes in terms of gender, ethnic background, disability and sexual orientation; and upon what legal basis and in what terms has such an instruction, requirement or advice been given. [HL3252]

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not instructed or required Arts Council England to monitor its overall grant-making programmes in terms of gender, ethnic background, disability and sexual orientation. This is a matter for the Arts Council. We recognise, however, that as a responsible public body Arts Council England needs to monitor its overall grant-making programmes. Such information enables the council to assess whether equality of opportunity to accessing its funding is happening in practice and whether certain groups are missing out on funding.