18. To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress is being made in assisting more school students to learn to play a musical instrument. (261307)

We have invested £332 million to 2011 in making a reality of our pledge that all primary children will have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument. So far music services report that over 50 per cent. of KS2 children are benefiting from these wider opportunities to access instruments and vocal provision, and their projection is that the figure will rise to 80 per cent. by 2011.