Higher Education: Creative Courses

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes an important point: we have both the contribution the creative industries and the contribution that creative education and training more broadly make to the economy. I am not aware of a specific assessment on that topic, but given our focus on creative industries in the industrial strategy and on growth, providing opportunities for that sort of learning to contribute to innovation in a whole range of areas in the economy is important.

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome what the Minister said about widening access to the arts and ensuring we have a talent pipeline. Why, then, did her department announce earlier this month that it was not going to continue with the support it has been giving to national youth music organisations, such as the National Youth Orchestra? Arts Council England has stepped in to make sure those organisations are not affected, but the funding will be turned off from next month. As the spending review approaches, will she make the case for continuing to fund these brilliant organisations, which do so much to widen access to the arts?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

As the noble Lord identified, support is continuing for those very important organisations to provide access for the most able musicians to the sort of development that is important to them. The Government have had to take some very difficult fiscal decisions, given the legacy we inherited from the previous Government; notwithstanding that, we are committed to developing creative subjects and, for example, launching a new national music education network to help families, children and schools access broader opportunities and support in that area.