Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the remit is of the expert panel working on the refreshed national plan for music education.

The refreshed National Plan for Music Education will be co-published by the Department for Education and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) later this year. It will shape the future of music education in this country so that more children and young people have access to a good quality music education.

The government appointed an expert panel last summer, which includes experts representing schools, music education hubs, and the music industry. The panel’s remit is to ensure the refreshed plan supports the government’s aims for all young people to have access to a high-quality music education, and opportunities to explore music as far as their interest and talents allow. The government also published the consultation response on music education to inform the refreshed plan. The department is grateful for the panel’s time and expertise.

The department has announced that it will continue to invest around £115 million per annum in cultural education over the next three financial years, through its music, arts and heritage programmes, including music hubs, working closely with DCMS, Arts Council England and others.

The department’s partner organisations, including the Arts Council as the Music Education Hub fundholder, will be updated shortly to confirm funding allocations for the 2022/23 financial year, following the outcome of the department’s business planning.