The UK Tory Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, yesterday was asked what was his message to musicians, actors and freelancers in the arts, and the Chancellor eventually told ITN that everyone is having to adapt. Quite frankly, that is not good enough. Llywydd, musicians, actors and freelancers in the arts are integral to the cultural and economic soul of our great nation. It is imperative that this Senedd, this Welsh Parliament, refuses to let the UK Government stand by idly and sacrifice our cultural landscape during this pandemic.

Since my election to this place, I have strived to establish musical events and I'm privileged to now chair the cross-party group on music. Through this group, we have sought to bring together key stakeholders from across the entire music sector in Wales, from music educators to world-class orchestras, community choirs, brass bands and international artists. From the meeting of this key group, it was very apparent how devastating the impact of COVID-19 has been to the entire music sector in Wales. 

From this meeting, three key themes emerged from the challenges facing musicians: guidance around assuming activities; financial support for professionals in the music sector; a strategy for their sustainability. These challenges were shared with key Ministers from Welsh Government, and further to my correspondence I was grateful to the Deputy Minister for culture for meeting urgently with me to discuss these issues raised by the CPG. I know that we will all want to, as stated already, see music practice and performance resume safely as soon as this is possible and, of course, this has got to be guided by science. 

However, there remains a need for greater clarity in the existing Welsh Government guidance around music, and this needs urgent specification now. For instance, music teachers who work in private practice and in people's homes need clarity over how they can continue their work as safely as possible, complying with the rules. Community bands and choirs want clarification on how they can return safely to socially distanced rehearsal. There's also a need for specific guidance to be provided for musical instrumental performance teaching in schools. Music education, as the Minister knows, is key to skills, well-being, career pathways and attainment. 

The need, though, for further cultural UK Treasury funding to Wales means that these measures are continually adapting, but I would strongly articulate during this debate that assurances on those matters raised with the Minister be provided to the Senedd as a matter of urgency, and that further and specific guidance, as called for by the sector, will be issued for musicians by the Welsh Government.

The second major issue raised was the number of musicians that have fallen between the gaps, despite Welsh Government efforts and the funding provided by furlough and other schemes. So, I greatly welcomed last week's Welsh Government launch of the freelance £2,500 grant. But I hear, as in successive schemes, today that, just days on, it is oversubscribed and closed in the first phase. So, this demonstrates, surely, the level and scale of the benefit to the economy of music in Wales, and demonstrates the underestimation of the need for this Wales-only fund. We need more funding, though, from the UK. So, how is this being articulated by the Minister to the UK Government as the Minister responsible for music in Wales?

Finally, Llywydd, the letter from the CPG outlined the sector's continuing and deepening call for a national music strategy for Wales, and an underpinning music education plan and the actioning of the Welsh Government feasibility study on the future of music support services across Wales. A Welsh network of accessible, equitable pupil access to a music support service and instrumental tuition should not in Wales, surely, be based on postcode, the whim of a headteacher and, overall, the depth of a parent's pocket.

We must be creating made-in-Wales employment pathways and professional interaction with the new curriculum in areas of creative learning. Class practitioners often have no or little experience. Wales must lead the way here, and I call again for the resolution of this and an end to the erosion of instrumental teaching across Wales. Culture, historically, has always felt the poor relation in public spending, but I also know that the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, values greatly and understands that this is not just about the economy, culture or livelihoods—it is also about the type of Wales this Government sees for the future and sells to the wider world, and I know he has a deep passion for Wales's cultural soul and the need to save it. So, now, Minister, is that time, and you will have my full and unequivocal support in doing that. I support the motion.