The Arts Council in England has been slammed for spending £33 million of lottery money on schemes that had gone over budget or collapsed.

A government report blamed delays and poor management for the overspending of £94 million on 15 major arts projects.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee for which the report was prepared, said it amounted to "a sorry tale".

"It is particularly vexing that since the public accounts committee last reported, the situation has actually worsened on many of these projects," he said.