Lord Lingfield (Con)

My Lords, I remind the Committee of my registered interest as chairman of the English Schools’ Orchestra. I pay tribute to my noble friend Lord Blackwell for his long-term championship of the music and dance scheme. The almost one thousand hugely talented students who are supported by the scheme are this country’s soloists, orchestral players and, of course, the corps de ballet of the future. They are among those at the apex of the UK’s cadre of young musicians and it is vital that their funding is not jeopardised. The students are chosen, of course, from a pool of the most musically accomplished children in the country, but, alas, that pool is growing smaller as musical opportunities in state schools diminish. Many of your Lordships had the good fortune, as I did, to attend schools where music was very much part of daily life. School assemblies, celebration and open days, and parents’ evenings all had musical accompaniment, and of course there were many concerts and other musical entertainments. Alas, this is too often no longer so. There are too many schools where little or no classical music is heard by children, and, where music-making is available, instead of being part of school life it is often off-site at a music hub. Only about 15% of state schools have school orchestras, compared with about 85% of independent schools, so instrumental tuition and playing are too often a solitary activity for the young, with limited chances of taking part with other players in ensembles and orchestras. How wonderful, therefore, that we have the MDS schools, such as Wells Cathedral School and the others, with such high standards of music-making, to which other schools should aspire. It is imperative that they remain as a vital national resource.