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Written Question
Music and Dance Scheme
Tuesday 2nd December 2025

Asked by: Jonathan Brash (Labour - Hartlepool)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Music and Dance Scheme on (a) trends in the level of regional economic growth and (b) contributing to the Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) have providers in every region of England and is open to young people across the UK. It supports the Creative Industries Sector Plan commitment to increase access to quality specialist creative education provision across England to strengthen our cadre of highly trained young musicians and dancers.

The department currently provides £36.5 million for the MDS this academic year and future funding will be announced in due course.


Written Question
Music and Dance Scheme
Tuesday 2nd December 2025

Asked by: Jonathan Brash (Labour - Hartlepool)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the costs and benefits of the Music and Dance Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) have providers in every region of England and is open to young people across the UK. It supports the Creative Industries Sector Plan commitment to increase access to quality specialist creative education provision across England to strengthen our cadre of highly trained young musicians and dancers.

The department currently provides £36.5 million for the MDS this academic year and future funding will be announced in due course.


Written Question
Independent Schools Inspectorate: Finance
Wednesday 16th July 2025

Asked by: Jonathan Brash (Labour - Hartlepool)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides funding to (a) the independent schools inspectorate and (b) cover the cost of inspections undertaken by the inspectorate.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The department does not provide funding to the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and does not cover the cost of inspections undertaken by the inspectorate.


Written Question
GCE A-level: Exports
Monday 3rd March 2025

Asked by: Jonathan Brash (Labour - Hartlepool)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the potential value to the economy of the export of Advanced Level (A-level) qualifications overseas.

Answered by Janet Daby

The department does not hold information on the value of exporting A level qualifications overseas.

Ofqual publishes a range of information about exported qualifications. The latest information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-qualifications-market-report-academic-year-2022-to-2023/annual-qualifications-market-report-2022-to-2023-academic-year#in-focus-international-market. This data does not include unregulated qualifications, such as international A levels, which are also offered overseas by awarding organisations.