Oral Answers to Questions

Bambos Charalambous Excerpts

Monday 18th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sandy Martin (Ipswich) (Lab)]

12. What recent assessment he has made of the ability of local authorities to discharge their statutory responsibilities to vulnerable children.

[Bambos Charalambous (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab)]

15. What recent assessment he has made of the ability of local authorities to discharge their statutory responsibilities to vulnerable children.

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

Her Majesty’s chief inspector of education, children’s services and skills is responsible for the inspection of local authority children’s services. Last year, spending on the most vulnerable children increased to over £9 billion. I very much welcome the efforts of colleagues in the Department for Education and in local councils, who continually look for ways to improve their services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Bambos Charalambous]

Has the Minister spoken to his counterparts at the Department for Education to discuss ways to improve the educational attainment of looked-after and vulnerable children? If not, why not?

[Rishi Sunak]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that question. He will be pleased to know that just last week I met the Children’s Minister to discuss exactly the topic that he raised. In particular, one of the topics that we discussed was the care leavers covenant, which the Government are piloting and introducing to improve the educational and employment outcomes for children and young people leaving care.