The Culture Minister of Wales has proposed to change the way the Welsh Assembly funds the arts, taking the task of funding of the six largest arts organizations away from the Welsh Arts Council and letting the assembly fund them directly. “But opposition parties claim this breaches the principle of ‘arms-length’ funding of the arts – separating the politicians who hold the purse strings from the artists who receive the money – and could lead to political interference. They plan to use Wednesday’s assembly debate to vote through an amendment which would force a public review and consultation process.”