Ministers accused over music discord

Labour’s Sheffield Brightside MP said the coalition has cut 12.5 per cent of funding for music education in England in the past year, according to figures released by the Department for Education.

The Government will spend £111.6m on music education in 2011/12, a drop from just over £127.5m in 2010/11.

Mr Blunkett also said the number of government-funded places for training music teachers was cut by 43 per cent from last year.

The number of places allocated for postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) courses in music was 315 in 2011/12, a drop from 555 from 2010/11. The figures were obtained from Schools Minister Nick Gibb in response parliamentary questions from Mr Blunkett over the last two months.

Education Secretary Michael Gove and Minister for Culture Ed Vaizey have said the Department for Education’s national plan for music education “will ensure not just that more children have access to the greatest of art forms, but that they do better as a result in every other subject.”

Mr Blunkett said: “To claim more, while offering less, is dishonest and the kind of politics which reinforces cynicism amongst the public.

“We have spent years rebuilding access to music education for children of all backgrounds.

“Government cuts, coupled with the near demolition of the role of local government in music education, is reversing both the progress made and the equality of treatment which has been achieved.

“It would be at least honest if the Government were to come clean and admit that those substantial cutbacks will undermine the life chances of youngsters, not merely in accessing the wonderful creative opportunity and use of talent but also the spin-off effect of music teaching of attainment in other key subject areas.” He called on pop stars and classical musicians to challenge these funding cuts.