Firstly, I suppose I should declare an interest in this topic, as a musician. I was born on a council estate and accessed the world of professional music via state provision and its exemplary county and national youth orchestras. I was a recipient of a thriving music support service that provided access to instrumental tuition, not just to me as a clarinettist, but to members of my family who went on to play for renowned world-class orchestras. And I became a music teacher and visiting lecturer, and I’m still indebted for those opportunities; I would not otherwise have had them. I place a great value personally on those institutions, organisations and tuition structures—the engines that gave me the skills as a working-class child that I needed to succeed in my chosen career path.

I wish to pay tribute also to the hard work of the task and finish group members on the music services and youth arts review bodies. I wish to welcome very much the potential for the co-operative approach that was mooted earlier, and I also welcome the innovative reforms and initiatives that this Labour Government has introduced to strengthen the arts in Wales: constructive and ambitious reforms, such as Donaldson’s creative ‘Successful Futures’ curriculum, which has been mentioned, to enrich classroom and individual access to the arts curriculum; the pioneer creative schools and pathways co-ordinators and the lead practitioners; the ambitious artists in schools projects; the co-constructed funding initiatives, such as the ‘Creative Learning through the Arts’ action plan, which is collaboratively groundbreaking, and is a far-reaching collaboration between Welsh Government and the Wales arts council and, as has been stated, to the tune of £20 million to broaden arts access; and also the considerable increases to the pupil deprivation grant for our most vulnerable and early years pupils, who are better able to access opportunity through an enriched arts-based curriculum. So, as such, I want to thank the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Cabinet Secretary for economy, infrastructure and skills for their collaboration around this important matter.

I, indeed, welcome the announcement today of the music fund for Wales. It is, indeed, a unique and innovative provision, and it’s a resource for Wales in a time of great austerity, passported to Wales from unprecedented cuts to the Welsh block grant and subsequent difficult times for local government. It is right that we retain, sustain and grow our nation as the land of song and that we are ambitious about our place in the global arts world and as a land of culture, and as a creative, industrial, economic powerhouse.

Further to my cross-party statement of opinion, which is OPIN-2016-0026, which was cross-party signed, I wish to ask the Cabinet Secretary if she would agree with me and other esteemed arts organisations and Welsh musicians that this welcomed music endowment fund is, firstly, well placed to broaden access of opportunity to all, and, secondly, is a welcome spoke in the wheel to the development of a national music performance strategy, a national music performance plan for Wales, and a subsequent core offer. Thank you.