The Economist in March published an article entitled, 'The quiet decline of arts in British schools'. They used a Welsh case study of a local authority impacted by funding cuts. It was reported how the music service budget had recently been reduced by an eye-watering 72 per cent. The then head of the council's music service put it succinctly—'Many will give up'. And, of course, he's referring to instrumental tuition and the instruments that they provide. 

If Wales is to retain its worldwide reputation as the land of song, then we need the Welsh Government to develop a national music strategy, a plan, and, in particular, a national education performance music strategy for Wales, outlining the steps and requirements, and a consistent and core offer for the pupils of Wales. The principles of universality of provision across Wales are key if we want to ensure opportunities for all are guaranteed. 

Indeed, Wales's foremost orchestral conductor, Owain Arwel Hughes, has attributed a crisis in Welsh music to cuts in music services. These cannot be divorced from the ongoing squeezing of the Welsh budget, and the pressures, therefore, on Welsh local government and non-statutory services, despite Welsh Government protections. Nobody is more passionate in Wales, the land of song, than Owain Arwel Hughes, but we need to listen and we need to listen hard.   

I recently attended the launch of the Welsh Proms. This year, to the obvious dismay of many, Welsh Government financial support was withdrawn. The rationale was that the money had come from the Welsh Government's economic development funding, and could no longer be justified. I believe we have to be careful that we do not fall into the trap of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

As a member of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, I know how passionate also our Chair, Bethan, is about this issue. Her passion is shared by the Welsh public. Our committee's inquiry into funding for and access to music education is due to report soon. This was an inquiry inspired by the Welsh people. When asked in 2016 by the committee what the priorities of the committee should be, the public consultation found the most popular was funding for and access to music education. And the Welsh public are ahead of us as politicians. They know the value of music education to the life of our nation, our future artists and culture. They are rightly concerned that Wales faces the danger of a postcode lottery of provision without a national vision and a national approach to a national music education performance strategy. 

Earlier this year, I commissioned Professor Paul Carr from the faculty of creative industries at the University of South Wales to complete a report to look at international best practice in music performance education models, and associated learning outcomes for Wales. Professor Carr chose 12 stakeholders who were chosen either for their detailed knowledge of the Welsh context, their evidence and expertise and evidenced knowledge of UK and international offers. These stakeholders included the chair of National Youth Arts Wales, the artistic director of BBC Cymru Wales, professors of music education in University College London, managing directors of the European Music School Union and, of course, Welsh arts council. 

This report will be launched later this month at a celebration of Welsh music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, an important scoping piece with a further outcome report to come. And, as a little plug, I hope that many Assembly Members will be able to attend alongside key stakeholders and international artists. But he gave us a stark warning, and I quote:

'If something is not done to turn this current publicised decline around, one of Wales's most famous maxims, the land of song, will unquestionably be under threat in the years to come, because it will simply not be true'.

In Wales, we cannot accept the consequences of austerity imposed from London since 2010 destroying the musical fabric of our nation. Wales needs capital investment similar to the music development fund, introduced by the Labour Government in 1999. This would provide a newly modelled music support service with necessary sustainable finances to make instrumental-based musical activities accessible for all, replacing reduced access to music, accusations of elitism, and the postcode lottery maxim with a clear statement for the nation. 

The then Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Michael, introduced the music development fund in 1999, with £8 million being distributed to local authorities' music services. And despite the context of cuts and the many competing priorities of Government, I say to this place that this debate today is about more than just music. It is about the very type of nation that we wish to be. It is about our place and identity in the world, our culture, our heritage, our creative industry and economic growth. And it is also very much about equality—equality of access, irrespective of wealth, to the well-being, self-esteem and progression pathways and careers in the wider world of music, and it's about equality in the classroom, so that the world of music is not shut to those who can play but not pay. Now, Cabinet Secretary, I believe is the time to commit our nation to a national music strategy, a plan to commit investment to underpin the strategy and support the music support services in Wales.

To conclude, Deputy Llywydd, let us speak truth to power: the alternative is a continuing fragmented access to music education and funding across Wales, with a great diminution of opportunities for the poorest in our society, unable to engage in and enlarge Wales's music landscape and that beyond. We will all be poorer for that, and our nation's proud claim of being a land of song will echo with diminishing strength, and that diminuendo will be on an unprecedented scale. And I believe that we in this place cannot let that happen. Diolch.