§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local education authorities which have reduced funding for music in schools in 1998–99. [44481]
§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on future funding of music in schools. [44486]
§ Mr. ByersMusic teaching which forms part of the National Curriculum will continue, as now, to be funded through schools' delegated budget shares. So far as instrumental music tuition is concerned, the Government's recently published consultation paper 'Fair Funding: Improving Delegation to Schools' set out a proposal to fund LEA provision for such tuition through the Standards Fund. A decision on this will be announced at the same time as decisions on the new Devolved Funding system.