Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to set up a protocol with the Welsh Government on the funding of opera.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government remains committed in its support for opera, with Arts Council England (ACE) providing over £30 million per annum to opera organisations through its National Portfolio programme. This includes funding for Welsh National Opera’s activity in England.
The government does not currently intend to establish a formal protocol with the Welsh Government for funding opera. Nevertheless, appropriate opportunities to discuss shared matters, including support for opera, will continue. Arts Council England (ACE) makes funding decisions independently to safeguard the arms-length principle and engages with Arts Council Wales as required, particularly for organisations like Welsh National Opera (WNO).
In 2024, ACE published the Let’s Create: Opera and Music Theatre Analysis which was prompted by debate over funding changes. The key aims of the study were to understand how the opera sector operates, identify issues in production and distribution, and inform future investment decisions.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish their response to the independent review of Arts Council England led by Baroness Hodge of Barking, published on 16 December 2025.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government’s response to Baroness Hodge’s independent review of Arts Council England was published on 26 March and deposited in the House Library. The response can also be found online on the UK Government Publications website.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to announce the findings of the independent review of Arts Council England.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Baroness Hodge will share her findings with the government in the Autumn of 2025, and the government will publish the conclusions of the review along with the government’s response in 2026.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received concerning cuts to opera funding in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.
In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.
Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.
Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).
Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has to meet with the (1) Secretary of State for Wales, and (2) Welsh Government ministers, to discuss funding cuts to the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.
In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.
Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.
Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).
Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet with the Welsh Government to discuss the cuts to the Welsh National Opera by Arts Council England.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.
In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.
Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.
Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).
Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet with Arts Council England to discuss funding cuts for the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.
In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.
Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.
Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).
Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.