English National Opera

That this House expresses its dismay at reports that the English National Opera management is proposing to cut the salaries of its opera workforce by as much as 40%; notes that the previous joint campaigning by the workforce, the trade union Equity, and the English National Opera had culminated in the opera company receiving an additional grant from Arts Council England of £24m in April 2023, to fund its new activity across London and Manchester; welcomes efforts to deliver opera in both cities; highlights the devastating impact that proposals to dramatically cut the terms and conditions of the workforce will have for the quality of opera provision, the workforce, audiences, and local economic benefit in both places; and urgently calls on the English National Opera and Arts Council England to withdraw these plans and work with the appropriate trade unions to ensure that the workforce does not suffer detriment as a result of the move.