Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban creative arts institutions and conservatoires that receive state funding from charging for auditions, as recommended in the Sutton Trust’s report A class Act: Social mobility and the creative industries, published on 13 November.

Creative education and a career in the Creative Industries should never be the preserve of a privileged few. The Government will support the aspiration of every person who wants to go to further and higher education. Universities and conservatoires are autonomous bodies, independent from government and are responsible for their own admissions decisions. Where providers deem it necessary for applicants to undertake auditions, interviews or other admissions tests, it is their responsibility to ensure these additional admissions processes are not creating or reinforcing barriers to opportunity and the ways they will ensure this are detailed in their Access & Participation plans.