National Centre for Arts and Music Education

Baroness Keeley Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd April 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Keeley]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to consult the Music Hub network and cultural providers in developing the new National Centre for Arts and Music Education announced on 18 March.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)]

My Lords, this Government are committed to improving access to music and the arts, which is why we are launching a new national centre for arts and music education. We intend to appoint the delivery partner for the centre through an open, competitive procurement. We will engage with sector stakeholders, including the music hubs network, to refine the details of the centre ahead of the commercial process later this year. We will set out further details shortly.

[Baroness Keeley (Lab)]

My Lords, the national centre for arts and music education is a welcome development, particularly as it will be the lead for the programme of music hubs. Research by Birmingham City University has shown that hub lead organisations experience major issues in two key areas that the new national centre could support: managing access to adapted instruments, and monitoring pupil progress and supporting pupil re-engagement after periods away from music education. Can my noble friend the Minister tell me whether the Department for Education will engage with hubs and the music sector to help shape solutions to those and other issues?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I start my reply by thanking my noble friend for her contribution in this area in the other place and her continuing interest in our noble House. I assure her that the department will engage with music hubs and the wider sector to establish how the national centre can best support improving outcomes for children and young people—including, as she quite rightly mentioned, those who need adapted instruments. Both of the questions she raised are significant and important. In the current climate, monitoring progress and re-engagement after absence, for whatever reason, is certainly a topical issue and a consideration that I know will be brought forward during the consultation. We look forward to the outcome with interest.