Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Marie Rimmer

Monday 18th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

11. What assessment he has made of the effect on the long-term financial viability of local authorities of the use of their reserves to fund children's services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Rishi Sunak)]

Settlement funding has increased in recognition of pressures, including demand for children’s services. In addition, many local authorities have built up substantial reserves over recent years. It is absolutely right that they use those where necessary to protect high quality services for taxpayers.

[Ms Rimmer]

Baby P, Victoria Climbié, Shannon Matthews—I am sure the House remembers those names. Child safety is a major concern right across our country, with councils starting no fewer than 500 child protection investigations a day. St Helens Council has almost twice as many looked-after children as the national average and has pulled £5 million from reserves to fund their care. That is unsustainable. Does the Minister really realise what is at stake? What will the Minister do to ensure that councils have the money they need to support our vulnerable children, instead of washing his hands of this?