The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.

The government is committed to ensuring all children and young people benefit from a high-quality PE curriculum. PE is compulsory at all four key stages, with schools able to choose the activities they use to deliver the curriculum. Dance is a specified element of the national curriculum, with programme of study content set out through to key stage 3.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended greater clarity and specificity in areas such as dance. The government accepted these recommendations and is revising the PE national curriculum, while maintaining schools’ flexibility in delivery. The revised curriculum will be consulted on publicly and is intended for first teaching from September 2028.

Schools will be supported to deliver high-quality dance provision through the National Centre for Arts and Music. Supporting pupils to access PE, sport and physical activity opportunities such as gymnastics and cheer will also form part of the new PE and School Sport Partnerships.

The Government recognises the profound economic and social value of opera and ballet touring. Domestically, it drives regional growth and spreads excellence across the UK, while internationally, it strengthens the global competitiveness and soft power of the UK’s creative exports. There are a number of measures that support touring work generally, which can help opera and dance.

For example, Arts Council England's (ACE) Lottery-funded Incentivising Touring scheme uses repayable grants to reduce financial risks for mid to large-scale regional dance and theatre tours and has supported dance work to tour.

Meanwhile the opera and ballet sectors are also able to take advantage of government support through Theatre Tax Relief (TTR). At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government confirmed that from April 2025, Theatre Tax Relief (TTR) on production costs would be set at the generous rate of 45 per cent for touring productions.

The Government and cultural bodies are working to support more sustainable touring across the UK and internationally, building on existing collaboration between ACE and the Devolved Governments. We will continue to use the Culture and Creative Industries Inter-Ministerial Group as a forum for UK Government and Devolved Government Ministers to discuss joint areas of interest.

We are also constructively engaging with the European Commission to address the challenges that touring artists and their support staff face, while respecting regulatory frameworks on both sides. This is mutually beneficial - it will help our artists to contribute to Europe’s rich cultural landscape and support shared growth. We will also work with the EU and Member States to promote wider cultural exchange to further the UK-EU strategic partnership.

The Government recognises the profound economic and social value of opera and ballet touring. Domestically, it drives regional growth and spreads excellence across the UK, while internationally, it strengthens the global competitiveness and soft power of the UK’s creative exports. There are a number of measures that support touring work generally, which can help opera and dance.

For example, Arts Council England's (ACE) Lottery-funded Incentivising Touring scheme uses repayable grants to reduce financial risks for mid to large-scale regional dance and theatre tours and has supported dance work to tour.

Meanwhile the opera and ballet sectors are also able to take advantage of government support through Theatre Tax Relief (TTR). At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government confirmed that from April 2025, Theatre Tax Relief (TTR) on production costs would be set at the generous rate of 45 per cent for touring productions.

The Government and cultural bodies are working to support more sustainable touring across the UK and internationally, building on existing collaboration between ACE and the Devolved Governments. We will continue to use the Culture and Creative Industries Inter-Ministerial Group as a forum for UK Government and Devolved Government Ministers to discuss joint areas of interest.

We are also constructively engaging with the European Commission to address the challenges that touring artists and their support staff face, while respecting regulatory frameworks on both sides. This is mutually beneficial - it will help our artists to contribute to Europe’s rich cultural landscape and support shared growth. We will also work with the EU and Member States to promote wider cultural exchange to further the UK-EU strategic partnership.

The Government continues to provide generous support to the theatre sector through Theatre Tax Relief (TTR). TTR is designed to support expenditure incurred in the production of a theatrical performance. Since 1 April 2025, qualifying touring productions have been eligible for relief at a rate of 45 per cent, compared with 40 per cent for non-touring productions.

Changes to existing tax reliefs must be assessed against their effectiveness, targeting, complexity and value for money, and considered in the context of the wider public finances. Tax policy decisions are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events.

The Government recognises that participation in culture and the arts, including dance, generates substantial social and economic value. Dance is a vital part of the cultural ecology, contributing to improved physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection, which collectively help to alleviate pressures on health and social care services.

Government commissioned research by Frontier Economics, published in November 2024 estimates that regular adult cultural participation provides benefits of £992 per person and £18.6 billion annually in societal benefits. One of the models relating to extra-curricular activities for children (which includes dance) estimates society-wide benefits totalling £230m per year. Participatory arts support prevention, reduce health service demand, and improve productivity and quality of life.

Additionally, ‘The Social Value of Movement and Dance’ report estimates that dance and movement participation generates £3.5 billion in annual social value in the UK. By improving physical health, mental wellbeing and social connectedness, this saves health services approximately £430 million annually by reducing service demand. The report highlights wider economic benefits, including increased productivity, reduced loneliness and stronger community cohesion.

The Government recognises that participation in culture and the arts, including dance, generates substantial social and economic value. Dance is a vital part of the cultural ecology, contributing to improved physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection, which collectively help to alleviate pressures on health and social care services.

Government commissioned research by Frontier Economics, published in November 2024 estimates that regular adult cultural participation provides benefits of £992 per person and £18.6 billion annually in societal benefits. One of the models relating to extra-curricular activities for children (which includes dance) estimates society-wide benefits totalling £230m per year. Participatory arts support prevention, reduce health service demand, and improve productivity and quality of life.

Additionally, ‘The Social Value of Movement and Dance’ report estimates that dance and movement participation generates £3.5 billion in annual social value in the UK. By improving physical health, mental wellbeing and social connectedness, this saves health services approximately £430 million annually by reducing service demand. The report highlights wider economic benefits, including increased productivity, reduced loneliness and stronger community cohesion.

​​Dance forms part of the PE curriculum, which is a compulsory foundation subject at all four key stages, and GCSE dance or equivalent technical award at key stage 4.

​In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the government committed to reviewing how dance is reflected within the PE curriculum to provide greater specificity and support more consistent, high-quality teaching. Alongside this, the new National Centre for Arts and Music Education and PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will help schools access high-quality dance opportunities by connecting them with specialist expertise, resources and support. Together, this will strengthen teacher confidence and competence in delivering dance, helping more pupils benefit from high-quality provision.

This Government is committed to revitalising arts education including through the reformed national curriculum.

Programmes available to children in Surrey Heath that Arts Council England (ACE) fund include:

• Surrey Music Hub, which helps young people to sing, learn instruments and develop their talents;

• Surrey Dance 21 an initiative, providing opportunities for young people to participate in dance training.

The government’s Music and Dance Scheme also continues to provide means-tested bursaries to enable young people to benefit from world-class training, regardless of their personal circumstances.

This Government believe that every child in this country has the right to access high-quality arts provision, including music and dance, which gives young people the chance to live a richer, larger life. I am really pleased to tell the House that the music and dance scheme’s allocation of future funding for this financial year represents an increase on the commitment of the previous year.

What steps she is taking to help ensure children from less privileged backgrounds can access music and dance training.

I join the hon. Lady in paying tribute to Alastair Tighe and all the people who make this commitment real. They change children’s lives, and this Government cannot do that alone from Whitehall. What we can do, however, is fund such schemes adequately. Even in these difficult financial circumstances, we made a £36.5 million commitment to the music and dance scheme last year, and we have increased that by £1.3 million to ensure that it can continue.

I thank the Secretary of State for her response. Wells Cathedral school is in my constituency, and it has 80 young people who are on the music and dance scheme. It is a fantastic scheme, and I pay tribute to the outgoing headteacher, Alastair Tighe, who has done his very best to ensure that the scheme reaches deep into the community and those from less advantaged backgrounds, including one of our local cleaners—she is able to pay just £200 a year for what is a £50,000 a year education. However, there has been a 10-year drift between inflation and the amount of the money that the scheme receives. Can the Secretary of State have another look at this issue and make it absolutely certain that pupils benefit from better funding—

My hon. Friend is a great champion for North West Leicestershire and for all the young people in her constituency. As I said to the hon. Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt), we have been investing in music and dance in particular, but we have also invested £425 million in the creative foundations fund to support arts venues across the country, because one of the key things that we have identified is that it is not just about the bursaries that we provide to enable access for all; it is about those institutions existing in every part of the country.

Musical theatre and dance are important parts of the creative industries. Kristian Thomas Company in my constituency provides extensive training for young people aged four upwards, up to formal qualifications at BTEC and foundation degree level. What financial support is given to organisations such as KTC so that they can continue offering valuable education in the arts for all young people in North West Leicestershire?