Monday Volume 538 16 January 2012 No. 248 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 16 January 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 451 16 JANUARY 2012 452 already having to make cutbacks in those areas. Will the House of Commons Minister explain what the Government’s financial policy is to back up the warm words he just uttered? Monday 16 January 2012 Mr Hayes: I mentioned in my first answer the commitment we have made to music. The important The House met at half-past Two o’clock thing about that commitment is that we have been very clear over the long term about what schools can expect to receive, and that will help with financial planning. PRAYERS The new music education hubs will help to bring this together. That recommendation very much arose from [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] the original investigation we did. Art is not the study of positive reality; in Ruskin’s words, it is “seeking for ideal truth”. It is that spirit that imbues all this Government Oral Answers to Questions do. Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Con): Plymouth’s excellent college of art is looking at trying to develop and create a free school aimed specifically EDUCATION at bolstering the arts economy and on improving participation in the arts. Would my hon. Friend be The Secretary of State was asked— willing to meet me and fellow representatives from the college of art to discuss how it can ensure that aspiration Arts and Creative Education becomes reality? 1. Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD): What steps he is Mr Hayes: Any meeting with my hon. Friend always taking to promote arts and creative education in adds to my grasp of these matters; of course I will schools. [89247] happily meet him. It is clear from his question that he shares our view that having a richer mix of school types The Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong will allow the development of precisely the kind of Learning (Mr John Hayes): The Government believe expertise he describes. that children’s education is enriched through their connection with the beauty provided through the arts. Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab): Britain is a world To support this mission, we invited Darren Henley, the leader in creative and cultural industries, but at the managing director of Classic FM, to undertake a review moment we are seeing in our schools a reduction in of cultural education in schools and he is due to report music, art and other teaching. Whatever warm words shortly. As you know, Mr Speaker, in November we the Minister offers, what is he going to do about it? published a national plan for music education worth £200 million over three years. Mr Hayes: The hon. Lady will know, because she is a diligent student of these matters, that this Government Mr Foster: I am sure the whole House is looking established a council specifically to look at the creative forward to the Henley review, but does the Minister industries. I have met that council to discuss how we can acknowledge that the expert panel on the curriculum work with it to improve links between the creative review are concerned that the role of cultural and industries and schools and colleges. She will also know creative subjects in a broad and balanced curriculum is that we have allocated in my area specific funding with in danger of being lost? Given the significant reduction that council to develop new courses, new apprenticeships in postgraduate certificate in education art and design and new opportunities with creative industries. places and the lack of any cultural subjects in the English baccalaureate, are they not right to be concerned? School Playing Fields Mr Hayes: The right hon. Gentleman will know that the E-bac—the core curriculum that we are developing—is 2. Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole) sufficiently small to allow space for all kinds of other (LD): What his policy is on the sale of school playing activities, including those relating to music, art and fields; and if he will make a statement. [89248] culture, as well. Certainly, it is the view of the Secretary of State and the whole Government that enriching a The Minister of State, Department for Education child’s education through their experience of art, music (Mr Nick Gibb): Playing fields are an important part of and culture is at the heart of good education. a school’s estate, and sport is a critical element of any school curriculum. The Secretary of State’s consent is Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/ needed to sell school playing fields under section 77 of Co-op): My constituency is one of the hotbeds of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. School creative activity with a very high percentage of artists playing fields can be sold only if they are genuinely and creative businesses, and the schools have followed surplus, with all proceeds being used to improve sports that through. However, I know from recent visits to or educational facilities. The Education Act 2011 also primary schools such as Brook community primary gives the Secretary of State power to direct that, instead school, which has excellent enrichment through the of being disposed of, the land should be transferred to arts, that they are worried about future funding and are an academy or free school. 453 Oral Answers16 JANUARY 2012 Oral Answers 454 Annette Brooke: I thank the Minister for that answer. organisations. The neighbouring constituency to the Will he make sure there is careful scrutiny by both Sport hon. Gentleman’s is a beneficiary of a myplace, with England and his Department of the proposed sale of investment of £4.5 million from the Government. That playing fields at Wareham middle school? There are is a hub for lots of varied activities for young people to overwhelming objections locally, including from the district take advantage of, helping them with careers, training council and the town council, identifying the already and many other things. overall shortage of playing fields. There is widespread community use of the fields, and there is particular Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): In 2005, when opposition to the site’s being sold for an out of town it was Labour-controlled, Northamptonshire county supermarket and its possible replacement with inferior council directly provided its own youth services and provision. managed to reach only 3,000 young people. Now under Conservative control, the council has commissioned its Mr Gibb: The short answer is, yes we will. The long youth services to the voluntary sector; it regularly gets answer is that there has not yet been an application 20,000 young people involved and is one of the authorities from Dorset county council to dispose of the Wareham with the best value youth services in the country. Will school playing field. If such an application is made, the my hon. Friend congratulate the county council on its Secretary of State’s approval to dispose of the playing foresight and good practice? field will be required, and he will take advice from the independent school playing fields advisory panel. Tim Loughton: I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for mentioning such an example of good practice. Frankly, Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab): The Minister will know I do not care who the provider is; it is the way they that from 1979 until 1997 the Conservative Government provide the service and whether they are providing the sold off 10,000 school playing fields. After the School services that young people want at the time they want Standards and Framework Act 1998, the number went them. It is about the quality of the service. They may down to just 226 between 1998 and 2010. The national not be able to do it in Labour-controlled Middlesbrough, planning policy framework intends to water down but apparently they can in Northamptonshire and I restrictions on the disposal of school playing fields, congratulate them on it. which is like a burglar returning to the scene of the crime. Will the Minister ensure that there is no watering Ms Karen Buck (Westminster North) (Lab): The new down of the restrictions on the sale of school playing Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has warned fields in the future? that gang crime is now a significant problem in half of all London boroughs, and similar issues affect cities across Mr Gibb: I have just explained that section 77 of the the country. Good youth work is critical to a successful Act is still in force and there is no intention to change strategy to tackle gangs and youth violence, yet not only that legislation. In fact, in 2011 just eight applications are youth services being reduced, as the Minister has for the sale of school playing fields were allowed. just told us, but the National Council for Voluntary Organisations warned last week that the charitable sector Youth Services is facing a £1 billion shortfall and many small community youth organisations, including the Stephen Lawrence 3. Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East centre, are at risk of closure. What assessment has the Cleveland) (Lab): What recent assessment he has made Minister made of the contribution of reduced capacity of the provision of youth services.