PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Youth Services: Stockport (25 April 2023)

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to increase funding for (a) youth clubs and (b) other youth services in Stockport (i) constituency and (ii) borough.

Asked by:
Navendu Mishra (Labour)

The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people.The Government has committed to a National Youth Guarantee: that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer. This is supported by a three-year investment of over £500 million in youth services, reflecting young people's priorities and addressing the inconsistencies in national youth spending with a firm focus on levelling up. Young people in Stockport will benefit from elements of the National Youth Guarantee, for example, a year-round National Citizen Service programme; increased access to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; and volunteering opportunities through #iwill fund.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, Local Authorities have a statutory duty to ‘secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people’. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, the majority of which is un-ringfenced, allowing local authorities to spend on services according to local priorities, including on youth services. The settlement is anticipated to be almost £60 billion this year (FY 23/24) for councils in England - a 9% increase on the previous year.

Answered by:
Stuart Andrew (Conservative)
2 May 2023