Schools: Music and Dance Scheme

Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie Excerpts

Wednesday 28th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I agree with the noble Lord; that is the whole point of the music and dance scheme. It enables 2,000 young people who might not otherwise be able to get, as he says, that private education at the very highest levels, to benefit from it. This Government have maintained investment in that. I am pleased that 18% of the students who benefit from the music and dance scheme get a full bursary; anybody below a family income of £45,000 gets that bursary. That is what enables entry into these schools, and that is what we will certainly attempt to maintain.

[Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as an alumna of one of the music and dance schools. I do not doubt the Minister’s commitment to the long-term effectiveness of the music and dance scheme. But is it not the wrong department that we are talking to? The schools say that they need a £36 million uplift for this year, and it is the Treasury that has caused the uplift in costs. They are classed as independent schools, so they are paying VAT on fees. Any uplift that the Department for Education has been able to give has only offset that uplift; it has not increased the viability of the schools. Can the Minister explain what the Treasury will do to ensure the survival of the schools this year as well as in future years?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

This year, as has been the case since 2010, we have maintained the value of the funding for the music and dance scheme, and we have provided an additional £4 million to support parents having to pay for the impacts of VAT on private schools. We have done what was necessary to maintain it this year and, as I said previously, we recognise the significance of this scheme and we will do all we can to support it in the future.