Vaizey defended the cuts as he was giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in the House of Commons as part of an ongoing inquiry into the funding of arts and heritage. BJP was in attendance.

In October, the government announced cuts of up to 50% on Arts Council England's back-end administration, as well as cuts of 15% to regularly funded organisations. The Photographers' Gallery, as well as 10 others photography institutions across England, receive regular funding from the organisation.

In his testimony, Vaizey claimed that, having looked at the "bigger picture," the Government had taken "tough decisions" and "achieved a good settlement for the frontline."

Vaizey also described the Government's relationship with the Arts Council as an "effective" partnership and praised its chief executive Alan Davey, insisting that having taken on board criticisms of overspending, he is "bending over backwards" to reduce administration costs.

On the question of Government involvement in allocation of Arts Council money, Vaizey said that ministers shouldn't decide on specific awards as it was "an important principle that there is no suggestion of political interference."

Vaizey sought to counter recent accusations that the Coalition Government doesn't value culture, saying, "if I had my way I'd write a blank cheque for the arts," and defending his colleague Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt as "somebody who fights very hard for his sector."

Hunt will next week announce new measures to increase philanthropic investment in the arts. Vaizey would not, when pressed, reveal further details but said the Government had been examining ways to support private donors through the tax system. These initiatives will amount to "the first time the Government has had a coherent policy on philanthropy," says Vaizey, adding, "the Arts Council will be an important part of that."

Watch Ed Vaizey giving evidence to the committee here on the Parliament website.