To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the funding arrangements for students of dance, drama or stage management to facilitate them studying at Scottish institutions. (S1O-2259)

Funding through discretionary bursaries is a matter for local authorities and the Executive has no plans to change the current system.

I thank the minister for her rather disappointing response. Is the minister aware that Ballet West, based at Taynuilt, attracts more than 100 applications a year, from all over the United Kingdom and abroad, for its three-year diploma in dancing and teaching studies, and that it injects significant resources into the local community? Is she also aware that Ballet West has outperformed all other ballet companies in competition, including the Royal Ballet, yet cannot gain access to tuition fee grants, as can its more expensive, less talented competitors from south of the border?

Does the minister agree that failure to ensure equality for Scottish centres of excellence in the arts not only compromises the viability of innovative, world-class companies such as Ballet West—which may have to move outwith Scotland to survive—but makes a mockery of the much-hyped national cultural strategy that was launched only a few short weeks ago?

As Mr Gibson will know, no accredited dance and drama schools in Scotland currently qualify for awards from the Department for Education and Employment. Scottish students can compete on equal terms with students from the rest of the UK and Europe for places at accredited centres of dance and drama. That is the situation, and that will remain the position until we have an accredited centre for dance and drama.

The minister has mentioned that the maintenance of students at drama, dance and music colleges is funded by local authorities through the discretionary bursary system. Is she aware that more than half of Scotland's councils have now taken policy decisions to withdraw the funding of discretionary bursaries? Does that cause the Executive concern, in so far as students from some areas are unable to access funding whereas students from other areas are?

, In the context of the implementation of the national cultural strategy I am happy to take up that issue in discussions with local authorities.