§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he has made towards implementing the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education; and if he will make a statement. [134613]
§ Mr. Chris Smith[holding answer 26 October 2000]: My Department, in close collaboration with the Department for Education and Employment, has made significant progress in implementing the commitments given in the Government's response to the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education 324W report which was published in January. We published an update of this progress in September, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House. It is also available on our website at www.culture.gov.uk. Since then the DfEE have also confirmed that Government funding for music will increase to £60 million a year from 2001–02, and that level of funding will be sustained until at least 2003£04, ensuring that every LEA in the country offers children the chance to learn to play musical instruments.