Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has to help increase (a) participation in and (b) access to dance in local communities.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Improving access to the arts is a priority for this Government. Dance plays a central role in our country’s cultural ecology, from organisations like the English National Ballet and Rambert through to the community clubs across the country that ensure the talent pipeline for dancing of all styles continues to thrive.
The government supports the arts financially, including dance, through its arm’s-length body Arts Council England. Arts Council England has provided over £58 million to 153 organisations across England over 2024/25 to support dance. For instance, the Royal Ballet and Opera’s initiative “The Bridge” provides funding for working with schools and community groups nationwide to involve individuals in opera and ballet.
ACE also provides £450,000 in funding to the National Youth Dance Company, which offers high-quality training and performance opportunities through outreach to communities with higher proportions of young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Asked by: Cat Eccles (Labour - Stourbridge)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to facilitate accessibility to the arts for young people outside of the visual media sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Improving access to the arts for children and young people is a priority of this Government.
To increase children and young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts and culture, alongside sports and wider youth services, the recently announced Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy has allocated £132.5 million in England towards youth. In addition, 79% of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations work with children and young people, such as theatres, opera and dance companies. For example, the Royal Opera House works with schools and community groups across the country to engage people in opera and ballet.
Arts Council England funds the National Youth Dance Company and National Youth Music Organisations which play a vital role in increasing young people's access to the arts in the UK by offering high-quality training and performance opportunities, and by conducting outreach to schools and communities with higher proportions of young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Department for Education has also launched an expert-led, independent Curriculum and Assessment Review covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. This includes creative subjects such as art, music and drama.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on (a) the long-term sustainability of Welsh National Opera’s full-time orchestra and (b) ensuring the continuation of its touring programme across England and Wales.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On behalf of the Secretary of State, last year I held a series of productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera (WNO) to understand the issues in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.
Across all these meetings there was a recognition of the value of the WNO and its work - both for the people of Wales, and for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners were keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation.
Everyone wants to sustain the WNO, and so I was pleased to see additional funding of £755,000 allocated by the Arts Council of Wales to WNO last December. Funding decisions are of course for the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England, however, I welcome the tenure of the new joint CEOs and General Directors at WNO, and I am confident that they are now in a strong place to succeed.
Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Wales intends to meet Welsh Ministers to discuss the future of the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My colleagues, the Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens MP and the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Wales Dame Nia Griffith MP, meet with Welsh Government colleagues frequently on a range of issues including culture. Our two governments are working in close partnership to deliver for the people of Wales.
In October, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Wales Dame Nia Griffith MP and DCMS Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP met with Welsh Government Minister for Culture Jack Sargeant MS to discuss the Welsh National Opera and to recognise the value of its work, not just for the people of Wales but also for the people of England.
Minister Bryant then held a series of meetings with Welsh National Opera and Arts Council England to understand the issue in more detail. This series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive long-term future for Welsh National Opera.
My colleague, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Wales Dame Nia Griffith MP, looks forward to meeting with you at the end of this month to discuss this further.
Asked by: Jade Botterill (Labour - Ossett and Denby Dale)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on routes into the creative sector for young people in West Yorkshire.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) works closely with the Department for Education (DfE) on skills policy affecting the creative sector. This includes understanding routes into the sector for young people across the country, such as apprenticeships. As part of the DfE’s work on Growth and Skills Levy reform, new shorter apprenticeships will be available from August 2025 (subject to the legislative timetable) as a first step towards a more flexible levy.
In West Yorkshire in particular, Bradford and Kirklees have been priority areas for the Creative Careers Programme, which is designed to raise young people’s awareness of creative careers and pathways into them by providing specialist advice and information. By providing £3 million to expand the programme, DCMS will continue to boost opportunities and support for young people from backgrounds that are under-represented in the creative sector.
The Secretary of State visited Bradford in September last year for the programme launch of UK City of Culture 2025, which included speaking to members of the Bradford 2025 Youth Panel. Bradford 2025's work with young people, including an apprenticeship scheme, is encouraging the next generation of creatives with 6,000 training opportunities expected across the district. Arts Council England also provides funding to a range of organisations in West Yorkshire that supports the creative education provision for its children and young people, including In Harmony Opera North and Northern Ballet, which offer pathways into music and dance.
At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, the Secretary of State announced West Yorkshire as a priority region for the Creative Industries, and one of six Mayoral Combined Authorities to receive additional funding to be approved as part of the upcoming Spending Review.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with (a) Arts Council England and (b) Arts Council of Wales on a sustainable funding solution for the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I have already held a series of productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the issue in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.
The core point of agreement across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - both for the people of Wales, but also for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal.
I am pleased to see additional funding of £755,000 has been allocated by the Arts Council to WNO.
I was also pleased that this series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive future for Welsh National Opera, that the funding bodies across the border will work more collaboratively in future and that the new leadership at the WNO have a clear idea of how to progress. Everyone wants to sustain the WNO so that as many people as possible in Wales and England have a chance to enjoy world class opera close to home. Funding decisions are for the Welsh Arts Council and Arts Council England, but I am confident that the WNO is in a strong place to succeed.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on funding for the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism has held a series of very productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the issue in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.
The core point of agreement across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - both for the people of Wales, but also for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal.
The Minister was pleased that this series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive future for Welsh National Opera, that the funding bodies across the border will work more collaboratively in future and that the new leadership at the WNO have a clear idea of how to progress. Everyone wants to burnish and sustain the WNO so that as many people as possible in Wales and England have a chance to enjoy world class opera close to home. Funding decisions are for the Welsh Arts Council and Arts Council England, but I am confident that the WNO is in a strong place to succeed.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government regarding the future of the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Whilst it would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene directly in funding decisions by arm’s-length bodies such as Arts Council England or in the operation of the Welsh National Opera, and whilst arts policy in Wales is devolved, Minister Bryant has held a series of very productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the challenges it faces in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, we can best help ensure a strong, secure and sustainable future for the WNO.
The core point of agreement across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - for the people of England as well as for the people of Wales. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal. We look forward to the new leadership at the WNO coming up with a practicable plan in the near future.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I have held a series of very productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the issue in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, I can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.
The core point of commonality across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - for the people of England as well as for the people of Wales. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal.
I was pleased that this series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive future for Welsh National Opera, that the funding bodies across the border will work more collaboratively in future and that the new leadership at the WNO have a clear idea of how to progress. Everyone wants to burnish and sustain the WNO so that as many people as possible in Wales and England have a chance to enjoy world class opera close to home. Funding decisions are for the Welsh Arts Council and Arts Council England, but I am confident that the WNO is in a strong place to succeed.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the Welsh National Opera.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I have held a series of very productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera to understand the issue in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, I can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO.
The core point of commonality across all these meetings and across all partners was a recognition of the value of the Welsh National Opera and its work - for the people of England as well as for the people of Wales. It was clear that all partners are keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation, and are working towards that goal.
I was pleased that this series of meetings was able to reassure everyone that all partners wanted to see a positive future for Welsh National Opera, that the funding bodies across the border will work more collaboratively in future and that the new leadership at the WNO have a clear idea of how to progress. Everyone wants to burnish and sustain the WNO so that as many people as possible in Wales and England have a chance to enjoy world class opera close to home. Funding decisions are for the Welsh Arts Council and Arts Council England, but I am confident that the WNO is in a strong place to succeed.