What plans he has to increase provision for singing in schools.

rose—

He is going to sing the answer.

I will turn down the hon. Gentleman's invitation.

We want all children of primary school age to have the opportunity to engage in quality singing, and we are investing £40 million in Sing Up, the national singing programme spearheaded by Howard Goodall, our singing ambassador. Our aim is that by 2011 singing will be an integral part of the culture of every primary school in the country. Since the launch in November, 17,000 adults have received training directly through Sing Up, some 10,000 schools have signed up to the Sing Up website, which already contains more than 150 songs, and 100,000 children have experienced singing activity. I recommend the programme's magazine to Opposition Members. This morning, we were happy to greet pupils of St. Matthew's primary school, Westminster, who sang for us in the Department on our first birthday.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. In Stoke-on-Trent, City Songbirds does a fantastic job, working with more than 500 young people across 24 schools. It uses song to help children develop key skills such as listening and self-confidence, as well as giving them the opportunity to use their voices and show their talent. Will my right hon. and hon. Friends join me in congratulating Stoke-on-Trent city council—it is unusual for me to say that—on its work with City Songbirds, as well as the City Songbirds' hard-working staff and dedicated volunteers, and indeed the songbirds themselves?

Yes, I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate everybody in Stoke who works on the project. I know that my hon. Friend recently attended a concert given by City Songbirds, which is a locally funded programme. We very much hope that the national Sing Up programme that I mentioned will help to maintain and build on the momentum behind singing in Stoke's schools. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my daughter good luck in her school musical tonight.

Well done to the Minister. On Saturday night I attended a concert organised by the Macclesfield and district lions club, in aid of the Stroke Association and SightFirst, the club's own charity. Part of the programme was presented by the young children of the Prestbury Church of England primary school. They were wonderful. Young boys and girls came together to sing in the most delightful way. The programme was hugely well received by the big audience. What is the Minister doing to ensure that there are enough music and singing teachers available to ensure that standard of singing and music, which is so important?

I presume that they sang "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" if they sang in the most delightful way, as the hon. Gentleman said. We are investing £332 million in music education from 2007 to 2011, including £40 million specifically for the Sing Up programme, which includes the training of teachers to help children to learn and experience the joys of singing.

I have the privilege of serving as the president of the Coalville festival of music, which every year organises a competition, including a category for school choirs, which Hugglescote school won this year. Is that not a way ahead: to encourage more competition in the locality to produce more singers at primary school level? For an appropriate answer to my question, I am quite happy to provide the Minister with a tenor.

My hon. Friend and I do not always sing from the same song sheet, but—

You are in harmony.

On this occasion we are in harmony, as the hon. Gentleman says.

I agree that competition has its place, but it is not the only thing that we should worry about. Coming from south Wales as I do, I might add that the Eisteddfod provides a good model; perhaps it could be copied more in England.

I welcome the Minister's encouraging words and invite him to congratulate Havering music school, which nurtures musical talent among the borough's pupils, on including the category of voice in its annual competition, so that singers have an equal chance with players of musical instruments to become Havering musician of the year.

That is a wonderful initiative, and I will not try the House's patience any further with more puns.