Music (Higher Education Grants)

HC Deb 07 December 1967 vol 755 cc1658-9

32. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what extra state aid he plans to give for higher education in music.

Mr. Gordon Walker

This year my Department's grants to the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music were increased each by £6,000, to £29,250 and £28,000 respectively, and the Royal College also received a capital grant of £10,000. The Estimates for next year are still under consideration.

Dame Irene Ward

That reply is reasonably satisfactory. Will the right hon. Gentleman now do something to improve the end product so that the taxpayers may get the full advantage of the money spent on the maintenance of the Royal Schools of Music? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is no good having large grants for the Royal Schools if, when people have been trained, they do not have an end product to earn their livelihood?

Mr. Gordon Walker

By "end product", does the hon. Lady mean orchestras or something like that?

Dame Irene Ward

Everything.

Mr. Gordon Walker

This does not all fall under my responsibility, but I agree that this is a continuing process and that there must be an end product always to all aspects of education.