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Written Question
Music: Education
Tuesday 12th December 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to promote English baroque musical tradition in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Answered by John Whittingdale

England is home to some of the world’s most respected performers of baroque music, from the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists to the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. At this time of year in particular, performances of extracts from Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio will be heard and enjoyed around the country.

Performance of baroque music in England, along with other individual musical genres, receives support from a wide variety of sources, including public funding via Arts Council England. There are a number of National Portfolio Organisations and other Arts Council-funded organisations which deliver activity in England relating to baroque music. For example, Britten Pears Arts (which receives over £1.4 million per annum through Arts Council England) operates a baroque orchestra training scheme for younger players and provides residencies and performance platforms for small ensembles including those specialising in period instrument performance.

Many National Portfolio Organisations regularly perform or engage with baroque music in England. This includes specialist organisations such as the National Centre for Early Music in York (which receives over £275,000 per annum), and organisations which perform a broader range of music, such as the Royal Opera House (which receives more than £22 million per annum), which has recently staged Handel’s oratorio Jeptha.

Arts Council England’s open programmes (such as National Lottery Project Grants, and Develop Your Creative Practice) have also supported individuals and organisations delivering baroque music. This support is open to organisations and individuals across the country, including to those in Romford.

Many performances of baroque music in England will be by orchestras, which may be eligible for the Orchestras Tax Relief. At the Spring Budget this year, HM Government announced a two-year extension to the higher rates of Theatre and Orchestra Tax Relief.

Romford and Havering are home to an amateur choir, as well as an orchestra, and the Havering Singers’ past concerts have included a performance of Handel’s Messiah.


Written Question
Culture: Education
Wednesday 29th November 2023

Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times and on what dates she has attended meetings of the Expert Advisory Panel on Cultural Education.

Answered by John Whittingdale

The Cultural Education Plan will ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, can access high-quality cultural education. Among other things, this is an important step in delivering our Creative Careers Promise, set out in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which aims to build a pipeline of talent into our creative industries, from primary school onwards.

Development of the plan is being led by a panel of 22 experts, including teachers and education leaders, and representatives from the performing arts, libraries, museums, heritage and youth sectors, and the creative industries. While development of the Cultural Education Plan is being driven by the Expert Advisory Panel, the Minister for Arts & Heritage (Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay) and the former Minister for Schools (Nick Gibb MP) have attended panel meetings on multiple occasions.

Furthermore, the panel is being informed by a series of 50 listening exercises with representatives from across the creative, cultural, education and youth sectors. Lord Parkinson joined one of these listening exercises held at the Royal Opera House with teachers and educationalists from across the country.


Written Question
Opera: Finance
Monday 31st July 2023

Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received concerning cuts to opera funding in England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.

In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.

Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.

Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).

Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Monday 31st July 2023

Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has to meet with the (1) Secretary of State for Wales, and (2) Welsh Government ministers, to discuss funding cuts to the Welsh National Opera.

Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.

In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.

Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.

Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).

Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Monday 31st July 2023

Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet with the Welsh Government to discuss the cuts to the Welsh National Opera by Arts Council England.

Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.

In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.

Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.

Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).

Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Monday 31st July 2023

Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet with Arts Council England to discuss funding cuts for the Welsh National Opera.

Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Arts Council of Wales, which as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body works within a strategic framework agreed with the Welsh Government.

In addition to the £4.6 million it received from the Arts Council of Wales each year, the Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to Arts Council England's ‘Transform Programme’, through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding from Arts Council England between 2023 and 2026.

Cultural organisations across the UK such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will encourage investment in productions across the UK, support cultural organisations to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.

Arts Council England remains committed in its support for opera, and its 2023–26 Investment Programme has 13 organisations (an increase from the previous round) receiving a share of £30 million per annum (a figure which counts just 50% of the Royal Opera House grant, as that organisation is also home to the Royal Ballet). This represents around 40% of the Programme’s total investment in music (around £76 million p.a. when including 50% of the Royal Opera House’s funding).

Since decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, are made by Arts Council England at arm’s length from Government, and are a devolved matter in relation to Wales, the Department has no plans to meet any of the organisations or other Ministers named in relation to the Welsh National Opera.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Tuesday 25th July 2023

Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations the Wales Office has received concerning cuts to the Welsh National Opera by Arts Council England.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales received email correspondence from the Welsh National Opera in February 2023 requesting a meeting with the Secretary of State to discuss this matter.

Further information was sought and once it is received we will progress the matter further.


Written Question
English National Opera: Finance
Thursday 20th July 2023

Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department will notify the English National Opera of the outcome of its funding application for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years.

Answered by John Whittingdale

Decisions made by Arts Council England about which institutions to fund, and by how much, are taken at arm's length from HM Government. As such, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no role in notifying organisations of the outcome of their funding applications.

Arts Council England has awarded £11.46 million of public funding for the English National Opera for the current year (2023–24) and has set a budget of a further £24 million for 2024–26, with a final decision on the latter sum expected over this Summer.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Tuesday 11th July 2023

Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)

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 Arts Council England on the potential impact of the reduction in funding on the Welsh National Opera.

Answered by John Whittingdale

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to the Arts Council’s ‘Transform Programme’ through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding between 2023 and 2026.

The decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, is a decision taken wholly by Arts Council England independently of HM Government. This is in accordance with the well established process, which is published on the Arts Council’s website and made clear in the guidance for applicants. How the Welsh National Opera chooses to spend its grant funding with respect to staffing, touring, and community work are matters for the organisation itself.

Cultural organisations such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will incentivise investment in productions in the UK, support them to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.


Written Question
Welsh National Opera: Finance
Tuesday 11th July 2023

Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reduction in funding from Arts Council England on the Welsh National Opera.

Answered by John Whittingdale

It is important that people across the country have access to a diverse range of cultural opportunities. Arts and cultural bodies receive funding through a wide variety of sources, including through Arts Council England, an arm’s-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Welsh National Opera will receive £4 million of public funding through Arts Council England’s 2023–26 Investment Programme, and was also successful in its application to the Arts Council’s ‘Transform Programme’ through which it will receive an additional one-off payment of £3.25 million. This means the Welsh National Opera will receive over £15 million of public funding between 2023 and 2026.

The decisions about which organisations to fund, and by how much, is a decision taken wholly by Arts Council England independently of HM Government. This is in accordance with the well established process, which is published on the Arts Council’s website and made clear in the guidance for applicants. How the Welsh National Opera chooses to spend its grant funding with respect to staffing, touring, and community work are matters for the organisation itself.

Cultural organisations such as the Welsh National Opera are also benefiting from the two-year extension to the higher rates of theatre, orchestra, museums and galleries exhibition tax reliefs announced at the last Budget. This extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. They will incentivise investment in productions in the UK, support them to tour, drive economic growth, and allow the sector to maintain its international competitiveness and reputation.