Lord Berkeley of Knighton (CB)

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Sater, for securing this important debate, and I declare my interests as a composer and broadcaster. I was delighted that the Prime Minister said in the other place recently that it was a priority for his Government to get music back on to the curriculum in schools. In my view, this is the single most important step in music education—indeed, in music. It is an opportunity for the young to make music, to listen and to react to others: there I think we have an analogy with sport. But of course, the devil lies in the detail, and I look forward to hearing more on this from the Government. What is really relevant to today’s debate is that we also need to think about the financial status of supporting organisations and venues where, once acquired, a musical curiosity can be developed. That brings in small venues and organisations that promote the arts, where funding is most urgently needed after many years of underfunding. I think of the English Symphony Orchestra in Worcester and the plight of Welsh National Opera, both of which have done so much good work in underprovided areas. I congratulate the Government on the orchestra tax relief, a welcome support, although it still relies on the orchestra activity being able to go ahead in the first place and the money can be received only after a long process, which can cause significant cash-flow issues. The rise in employers’ national insurance is, as the Government have acknowledged, a difficult burden at this time. One would have hoped that charities, especially small ones with, perhaps, under £1 million pounds in turnover, might have had a dispensation. I thank the Government for listening to concerns about VAT on specialist performing arts schools and confirming that courses covering the music and dance scheme and the dance and drama awards scheme will not attract VAT. On the other hand, as my noble friend Lord Clancarty pointed out a few days ago, the reduction in business rates relief will adversely affect the arts. The Music Venue Trust has calculated that it will place an additional £7 million burden on 350 grass-roots music venues, put at risk more than 12,000 jobs and cost more than £250 million in economic activity. While of course it is good news that the arts tax relief remains unchanged, it is sad that it has not been extended to choirs. In terms of the arts generally, the exchange of ideas across borders is essential, and the loss of Erasmus tragic, so a new rapport and sense of good will towards and from Europe must be fostered to allow easier touring in both directions. I ask the Minister whether any replacement for Creative Europe has been found or whether we might rejoin it, since the rules allow us to do so.