Will the Minister provide an update on plans to create a national music service?
Through our Programme for Government, we will establish a national music service. We are engaging with key stakeholders to develop proposals and linking these with the Curriculum for Wales to ensure that all of our learners can access and enjoy enhanced opportunities for music tuition and experiences.
I announced last week a new tranche of additional funding totalling £6.82million for the purchase of new instruments, adaptive instruments and specialist equipment for our learners with additional learning needs. This funding will also support the purchase of digital licences for local authority music services, and professional learning resources for practitioners to support their design and planning of the curriculum for music
Instruments will be distributed in the first instance to those learners who are less likely to already have access to them, such as those eligible for free school meals.
Together, this will help serve as a foundation for the national music service and support the Curriculum for Wales.