Live Webchat with Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries (Monday 31 January, 1.15-2.15pm)

[HelenMumsnet]

We're delighted to announce that Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, will be joining us for a webchat this Monday lunchtime.

Ed's responsibilities range from libraries and art galleries to broadband access, internet and film.

Ed says said that, ever since he was appointed last May, it has been a priority for him to keep in direct contact with people who want to ask questions, raise issues or make comments and suggestions.

So, do feel free to ask away - either on the day or, if you can't join us then, by posting your question in advance here.

[Bumperrlicious]

Thanks elkidee :)

[EdVaizey]

@LilyBolero

One further question; I do hope that David Cameron's insane "Search for a Star" 'x-factor style competition for schools' plan to revolutionise music teaching in schools has been scrapped. As a professional musician, I can't imagine anything worse - X-factor is the worst example of the commercial world of pop music, and the idea of introducing it to schools as 'education' is madness. It is reducing something which is part of our cultural history to the triviality which pervades competitions such as the x-factor, in which it is widely acknowledged that the only winner is Simon Cowell.

Please can you confirm that this will not be happening?

Hi lilybolero. I am very impressed that you remembered! It wil lbe going ahead and I am sure it will be great. The music industry is very excited by it.

[LilyBolero]

Oh no! That is NOT the answer I was hoping for.

[LilyBolero]

Why on earth are you wasting money on such a thing when really good worthwhile things are being cut left, right and centre? Disastrous decision.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

That last reply is beyond satire.

Oh well Lily, you've still got Darren from Classic FM to deliver the really rigorous part of the Music Curriculum.

[EdVaizey]

@bitzermaloney

Mr Vaizey,

Do you think that Rupert Murdoch is a fit and proper person to be given even more power over the British media?

Go on, be brave and answer... off the record, you understand (no one is listening in, honestly).

The question is whether a takeover would damage media plurality in Britain. There are clear procedures in place for assessing the issue, and Jeremy Hunt is following them to the letter.

[falsemessageoflethargy]

Lily - music apparently cannot be enriching in and of itself - it is only important when it enriches the music industry (who of course are very excited about it).

[Bumperrlicious]

Oh yes, because the music industry is exactly who we should be thinking of when we consider our children's education

[LilyBolero]

I agree.And by its very nature, this will benefit one child/group out of the whole country in what is supposed to be an education.

I wonder how much it is costing, when, as mentioned below, 100% of the funding to all the music conservatoires has been cut.

[LilyBolero]

Tondelayo - well hurrah for Darren.

[Bumperrlicious]

'Jeremy Hunt is following them to the letter.'

Aren't you glad you are typing that and not having to say it?

[Crystylline]

Following *bitzermaloney's question re: News International, would Mr Vaizey like to comment on Charlotte Higgins' article in the Guardian regarding the company's proposed partnership with Arts Council England that was announced and then withdrawn:

www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog

"A strange thing happened yesterday. @crayon posted a link at the bottom of my last post to news of a media partnership between Arts Council England and News International, which had been published on ACE's website.

The note appeared to be a call-out to arts organisations, announcing "partnership" with the media group in a scheme that was "offering arts organisations the opportunity to gain profile across their titles".

It said: "The partnership will include editorial content to help readers gain more of an understanding about a variety of artforms, as well as exclusive offers and promotions. We are now looking for arts organisations who would like to take advantage of this opportunity.""

[EdVaizey]

@Crumblemum

What are you doing (as a Minister) that makes you proud?

Well I am very pleased to be doing this job. I asked David Cameron if I could be his culture spokesman, and I am pleased that I am now the Minister. I am pleased that we got a good settlement for the arts, and that we have a clear strategy for the arts going forward. I'm pleased there's more money for British film. I'm pleased we've got a great broadband strategy, and I am pleased we have got an initial deal on mobile spectrum. The most difficult issue so far has been libraries, of course, but I am pleased I got the future libraries programme up and running in the summer to help.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

(Lily - hope my irony came over in the text - I meant Ed's reply was beyond satire.)

[Aitch]

which letter is that? [james naughtie icon]

[LilyBolero]

yy Tondelayo, his reply was a joke (sorry Ed, but it is a REALLY bad idea).

[EdVaizey]

@LilyBolero

I agree.And by its very nature, this will benefit one child/group out of the whole country in what is supposed to be an education.

I wonder how much it is costing, when, as mentioned below, 100% of the funding to all the music conservatoires has been cut.

Well the music industry is funding most of it - and they will run it. It will be a nationwide competition and I think will involve hundreds of thousands of young people, And of course all types of music will be welcome

[fivegomadindorset]

And will be soul destroying for vulnerable children who really think they have a chance and are shot down in flames.

[EdVaizey]

@LilyBolero

Tondelayo - well hurrah for Darren.

Is "hurrah for darren" meant to be sarcastic? It's not clear but I am very happy to defend Darren. He is a wonderful man who does a lot to promote classical music and learning in schools (he's very involved with the In Harmony project for example). His knowledge of this world is encyclopaedic, but he doesnt come from any one part so he does not come with a specific agenda. He has received and read more than a thousand submissions and produced a report which is well worth a look if you are interested in the subject.

[EdVaizey]

@nottirednow

strange - or not - that Ed hasn't answered any questions about his family library use or what he will be doing on Saturday. What volunteer work do you do, Ed? I think that should be the new mumsnet "biscuit question"

we use a local library and of course I used a local library when I was a child. You can see all the voluntary organisations I'm involved in on my website www.vaizey.com

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

I think our concerns regarding Classic FM and the Music Industry are that music teaching now appears to be in the hands of the private sector rather than teaching specialists. There is clearly a commercial interest here. How are the music industry going to recoup their investment from the 'search for a star' - it won't be from record sales of the star.

[EdVaizey]

@fivegomadindorset

And will be soul destroying for vulnerable children who really think they have a chance and are shot down in flames.

Er, I don't think it's in anyone's plan to shoot anyone down in flames. But with that attitude no one would ever give anything a go, would they?

[EdVaizey]

@TondelayoSchwarzkopf

I think our concerns regarding Classic FM and the Music Industry are that music teaching now appears to be in the hands of the private sector rather than teaching specialists. There is clearly a commercial interest here. How are the music industry going to recoup their investment from the 'search for a star' - it won't be from record sales of the star.

No, there is no commercial interest for Darren - he is doing this in his spare time. You've all been going on about volunteering and then when someone volunteers you shoot him down in flames!

[LilyBolero]

Ed, I will reserve judgement until I read the report. I don't mean to hog this at all. The is because music is continually under pressure to 'dumb down', and Classic FM in its output is a good example of this - 'Smooth Classic's - or I even heard one presenter say 'Sit Back - Relax - Switch off your Brain - it's Smooth Classics at 7', and the playlist reflects this. That's fine, it's their USP, it ticks a different box than Radio 3.

Music education in schools though, should encompass far more than the very limited output that Classic FM provides, and if Darren is as good as you say, then hopefully his report will reflect that.