Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department has put in place to support performing arts colleges during the covid-19 outbreak.

Performing Arts Colleges registered under the department’s Dance and Drama Awards programme, are private organisations.

Programme funding offers income-assessed support for students’ tuition fees and living costs. The intention being to provide a contribution to the costs of participating for talented individuals who want to become professional actors and dancers.

The organisations themselves could also benefit from the extensive and unprecedented package of support measures for businesses across the country announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, such as loans, tax relief and cash grants.