Ed Vaizey reappointed culture minister
Cross-departmental role to include business, innovation and skills
Ed Vaizey, the Conservative MP for Didcot and Wantage, has today been reappointed to the role of culture minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), but will also serve as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, continuing in the joint role he has held since last July.
At a museums hustings prior to the election, organised by the Museums Association and the National Museum Directors' Council, Vaizey spoke of the “total complete utter nightmare” in trying to engage other government departments with the DCMS.
“If you have got an idea that would be better done by another department then you are on the road to hell in trying to persuade them to take on your idea,” he said.
“Other government departments need to be fully engaged with culture."
And at the same event he refuted claims that increasing the share of lottery funding going to the arts was a way of covering up severe cuts to public funding. He said the decision to increase lottery funding from 16% to 20% was made while the Conservative party was still in opposition.
Vaizey has been culture minister since 2010, and prior to that had been shadow minister for the arts since 2006.
Update
18.05.2015
Updated to clarify that Ed Vaizey has held a joint position across DCMS and BIS since July 2014.
At a museums hustings prior to the election, organised by the Museums Association and the National Museum Directors' Council, Vaizey spoke of the “total complete utter nightmare” in trying to engage other government departments with the DCMS.
“If you have got an idea that would be better done by another department then you are on the road to hell in trying to persuade them to take on your idea,” he said.
“Other government departments need to be fully engaged with culture."
And at the same event he refuted claims that increasing the share of lottery funding going to the arts was a way of covering up severe cuts to public funding. He said the decision to increase lottery funding from 16% to 20% was made while the Conservative party was still in opposition.
Vaizey has been culture minister since 2010, and prior to that had been shadow minister for the arts since 2006.
Update
18.05.2015
Updated to clarify that Ed Vaizey has held a joint position across DCMS and BIS since July 2014.