The BBC's Valerie Jones reports on the £19m scholarship package

A scholarship programme for 2,460 performing arts students has been announced by Education Minister Baroness Blackstone and the Culture Secretary, Chris Smith.

There will be funding of £17m for scholarships to support students through their training and an extra £2m for fees for higher education courses. The average annual grant to students will be around £6,000 per year.

Baroness Blackstone says that the grants will be a fairer system for supporting talented youngsters

The scholarships, called Dance and Drama Awards, will be designed to help the most promising young performers who have won places at 29 prestigious institutions, including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, the Northern Ballet and the London Contemporary Dance School.

The setting up of a national scholarship scheme has been prompted by concerns that support for performing arts students has varied widely across the country.

Introducing the new awards, Baroness Blackstone described the previous arrangements as "hit or miss", with funding depending on where students lived, rather than their needs or ability.

"A third of local education authorities gave no awards at all. Many students who had passed tough auditions found that they did not have the funds to complete their courses."

Tony Robinson says that funding drama students is an investment in the economy

The new scholarship scheme will be open to young people aged 16-plus and will be offered to 820 students for each of the next three years. Dance and drama training colleges will be allocated places and funding annually.

Speaking at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Baroness Blackstone said that she was looking forward to a "new generation of star performers".

"The awards will give a huge boost to dance and drama. It will help us to maintain our reputation as the crucible for internationally-acclaimed performing artists.

"It will provide highly-talented, but cash-strapped students, with the chance to realise their potential and to maintain our international success."