Grassroots Rugby League
Harpreet Uppal Excerpts(5 days, 1 hour ago)
Westminster HallRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Jade Botterill
I could not agree more. I absolutely think any recognition we can give the sport is great and we should look at doing that.
The impact, involvement and contribution of players is represented perfectly by Kevin Sinfield and the late, great Rob Burrow. It would be remiss of me not to mention these two gentlemen who perfectly personify rugby league and did so much to increase awareness of motor neurone disease, including securing investment for West Yorkshire’s very own MND research centre. That grit, loyalty, purpose and solidarity, alongside a commitment to others and their community, leaves real, positive, lasting change. We in this place could learn much from them. Community spirit is an over-used phrase, but not with league. It is what we are about, who we are, the game and the fight, but it is also the people as well—the places, families, clubs, and community. That is league, and that is why I am so proud of it.
Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. She will know, as my neighbour, that Huddersfield is the birthplace of rugby league. We are really proud of that, and of our team the Huddersfield Giants, as well as our local community clubs, Newsome Panthers, Moldgreen Juniors and St Joseph’s. Does my hon. Friend agree that we must do more to support and fund local infrastructure to ensure that such clubs thrive?
Jade Botterill
Yes, we need to do more so that grassroots clubs can really thrive. I will come on to that later in my speech.
We can see the spirit of rugby league in the finances of the clubs, from the charitable foundation that almost every club funds and operates, to the shirts sponsored by local businesses. For example, in recent years my local team, Wakefield Trinity, has had Horbury’s Bistro 42, Evenfinish Groundworks, and Wetherby Whaler fish and chip shop on their kit—and now their entire stadium is sponsored by DIY Kitchens. That is local sport and local enterprise coming together for the benefit and enjoyment of the whole area.
What a team Wakefield Trinity are! I was at the game on Friday against Hull FC; it was not quite the result I wanted, but that is by the by. I should declare an interest in Wakefield Trinity, not just as a fan but because the club gave me one of my first proper jobs, teaching PE in schools right across Wakefield. Being the community development officer for my local team showed me the true value of what sport could do for young people. It also confirmed to me how post-industrial communities such as mine were suffering, having been failed and ignored by previous Governments. Indeed, it was through that job that I became political, as I saw the damage the closure of the Sure Start centres did to the families of the children I was teaching.
Because of the spirit of localism and community, where Government had failed towns like mine, Trinity rolled up their sleeves and stepped in. During my time at the club’s community foundation, I worked on projects providing education, confidence, development and opportunity to children right across the M62 corridor. As part of the programme, I took thousands of children to Wembley. More often than not, that was the first time some of those kids left their home towns.
Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation continues to do so much important work across our community today. The club’s Safety Net project runs training sessions for children with challenging behaviour, helping them build friendships, gain confidence and understand themselves; its Trinity All-Stars programme provides physical activity sessions and support groups for children with physical or learning disabilities; and its One Trinity initiative gives people living with dementia an afternoon a month to relive fond memories of rugby league.
During the election, I was proud to take part in a roundtable with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Movember and Rugby League Cares, to discuss the importance of mental health. I was so moved to see former players, known for their gruff, gritty exteriors, talk openly and honestly about their mental health. In the area where I grew up, and now have the privilege to represent, too often men bottle up their emotions. It was so impactful to see players and the club aware of their role in the community, and so keen to use it proactively to break the stigmas that keep so many from opening up. That work—opening up conversations about mental health—is exactly the value that rugby league can provide to communities like mine.
In post-industrial northern towns, as jobs and industries have disappeared, the institutions and communities that came with them have fallen away. However, rugby league teams have survived, embedded in our communities through thick and thin, providing place, meaning and an entire team to look up to. In our towns, where young people, especially young men, lack direction and are too often denied the opportunity warranted by their aspiration, league can provide role models and structure—a hand on the shoulder, a word, sometimes stern, always caring, when it is needed most. That is mirrored across the north: what were once jewels in the crown of thriving towns are now needed to bind our communities together.
No one will be surprised to know that I believe the new Labour Government truly understand that, and I will support them in bringing opportunity and hope back to these areas, so rugby league teams and their communities can thrive once more. Our sport has already survived so much, but it is vital we provide for its future, so its value to the community can continue for generations to come.
Youth Provision: Universal and Targeted Support
Harpreet Uppal Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
Westminster HallRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (in the Chair)
I will call Harpreet Uppal to move the motion and I will then call the Minister to respond. There will not be an opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up, as is the convention for 30-minute debates. There will be no other speeches, but Members can intervene briefly.
Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered access to universal and targeted youth provision.
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan, and a pleasure to open this important debate on access to universal and targeted youth provision. It is fantastic to see so many Members here—I should have gone for a 90-minute debate after all!
I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight the vital role that youth services play in supporting young people across the country and delivering on the Government’s mission to reduce barriers to opportunity. I know that many colleagues share my deep commitment to ensuring that every young person in our constituencies has the support and opportunities they need to thrive. Members from across the House recognise that youth services are not a luxury, but an essential part of our communities.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I commend the hon. Lady for bringing this issue forward for a debate. It is obvious that if she had applied for a 90-minute debate, or even a three-hour debate, she would have got a good crowd for it. One feature in my constituency—I am sure that it is the same in hers—is church-based organisations. Churches remain the largest non-governmental institutions across Northern Ireland, and the largest organisations with voluntary membership. They provide the uniformed organisations, the youth clubs, the drama classes, the choirs and so much more. Does she agree that there is an opportunity for the Government and for the Minister’s Department to work alongside church groups—all church groups, that is—to provide the help for the youth that we all wish to see?
Harpreet Uppal
The hon. Member is absolutely right that faith organisations and voluntary organisations play a huge part in the youth services that we deliver.
Trained youth workers create trusted relationships, offering safe spaces where young people can explore their interests, develop a sense of identity and, importantly, feel supported. Youth provision is also about giving young people the tools to lead happy, healthy and productive lives.
I want to recognise the steps that the Government have taken in this area. Initiatives such as the national youth strategy for England and the young futures hubs aim to bring together targeted support for young people, and they reflect a growing understanding of the importance of youth services. However, we must also be honest about the challenges we face.
Matt Rodda (Reading Central) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. May I just say how wonderful this debate is? I very much appreciate my hon. Friend’s work in securing it. I also commend the work of the voluntary sector, of local authorities, and of church groups and other faith communities. In particular, they provide much-needed targeted support on very difficult issues such as mental health. That is much appreciated in many communities across the country.
Harpreet Uppal
My hon. Friend is absolutely correct, and I will come on to mental health.
Fourteen years of Conservative Governments have resulted in a £1.2 billion real-terms reduction in local authority spending on youth services in England since 2010.
Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)
I thank the hon. Member for securing this really important debate. She is making a powerful introduction. The Street Foyer YMCA in my constituency provides excellent support for a lot of young people, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds and circumstances, but the local authority faces severe financial difficulties. Somerset council can spend only £13.47 per head on young people in Somerset. Does the hon. Member agree that it is crucial that we address the broken local government funding model if we are to improve youth service provision?
Harpreet Uppal
I thank the hon. Member for her point. I am sure the Minister heard what she said.
Kirklees council, which covers my constituency of Huddersfield, has seen a 70% decrease in funding in the 14 years that I mentioned. That leaves just £47.76 per young person spent on youth services in our community.
David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this really important debate. In Stoke-on-Trent, the amount spent per young person is £10.76, but in inner London it is £110—10 times more. Does she agree that we need to look at the regional inequalities in how these services are funded? Hopefully, the Minister will hear that point too.
Harpreet Uppal
I am sure the Minister has heard my hon. Friend’s point.
The Children’s Society’s “Good Childhood Report” shows that 15-year-olds in the UK have the lowest life satisfaction of young people across 27 European countries, based on programme for international student assessment data from 2022. Despite the financial outlook, there are many incredible organisations working in my constituency to support our young people, including Positive Stepz, Conscious Youth, Central Stars youth club, Team KickStart, Yorkshire Community Development, Empower, Boxpower and Temple Well-Being.
Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead and Highgate) (Lab)
My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech. Everyone wants to intervene, and she is being very generous with her time. As she mentioned a few important local organisations, I want to do the same for my constituency. The redevelopment of Highgate Newtown community centre is an example of how an ambitious community space can serve as a welcoming hub that children and families look forward to visiting, and I thank Andrew Sanalitro and his team for making that happen. Does my hon. Friend agree that housing developers should not just retain community centres, but enhance them, in order to make provision for young people and families in our constituencies?
Harpreet Uppal
I agree with my hon. Friend, who has been a great champion in this area.
Such organisations deliver outstanding community-led services to our young people and offer them experiences, opportunities and environments that allow them to thrive. However, despite the best efforts of the incredible staff and volunteers, financial constraints have resulted in many having to reduce the services they offer. The evidence is clear: when youth services are cut, young people suffer.
Siân Berry (Brighton Pavilion) (Green)
Does the hon. Lady agree that the Minister should answer two questions? The first is about the funding and jobs that will flow from the national youth strategy, and the second is about integration. We need a youth chapter in the housing strategy, as Centrepoint has asked for, and to bring its co-production values into the “Get Britain Working” strategy, aspects of which are quite worrying.
Harpreet Uppal
I am sure the Minister has heard what the hon. Lady has said. I am proud that the Government are developing a national youth strategy, which has not happened before.
Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that the closure of youth clubs led to a 4% drop in GCSE performance at age 16, with even greater effects on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Worse still, the loss of youth services has been linked to a 14% increase in youth crime within six years of youth services closures.
Harpreet Uppal
I will take both interventions, but then I need to make a bit of progress before I take interventions from other Members.
Jas Athwal
I am pleased that my hon. Friend has secured this debate. Last week, I spoke about the importance of a holistic approach to preventing crime, and especially of providing young people with safe spaces. We have had 14 years of brutal cuts. The council I used to lead had a £1 billion budget, but now it is £800 million—£200 million has been cut from it. Despite those punishing cuts, it is still building the first lido to be built in London in decades, a swimming pool and a leisure centre. We must build infrastructure. Does my hon. Friend agree that the phrase “If you build it, they will come” should be at the forefront of everything we do?
Harpreet Uppal
I do agree. I will now take the intervention from the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Helen Maguire).
Helen Maguire
The 2020 investigation by the all-party parliamentary group on knife crime and violence reduction found a strong negative association between the closure of youth centres and increases in local knife crime. Every year, youth services save the public purse £500 million by preventing crime. In Surrey, spending has fallen by 49% since 2010, so does the hon. Member agree that investment in youth services is invaluable in preventing both knife crime and antisocial behaviour?
Harpreet Uppal
The hon. Member is quite right, and I am coming to that point now.
Unfortunately, we are seeing the consequences of reductions in youth service provision across the country, as organised criminal gangs lure children and young people into county lines networks and organised criminality. Too many communities have seen children criminally exploited and, sadly, we have seen the devastating consequences of knife crime. In Huddersfield, 15-year-old Khayri Mclean and 17-year-old Harley Brown sadly lost their lives to knife crime in recent years, and only last week, 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose was fatally stabbed in Sheffield. Knife crime leaves too many parents dealing with consequences that no parent should have to face, communities broken, and too many children and young people left with mental scars.
Afzal Khan (Manchester Rusholme) (Lab)
Thank you for chairing the debate, Dr Allin-Khan—it is good to see a fellow Khan in the Chair. My hon. Friend is making excellent progress on such an important subject. Across the country, children are being let down by the absence of support tailored to their multi-layered and complex needs. Does she agree that, in order to protect the mental wellbeing of young people, it is necessary to invest in good-quality, trauma-informed youth provision for all, and that the Minister should be looking at the regional inequalities that we can all see?
Harpreet Uppal
I agree with my hon. Friend. I will make a bit of progress before taking more interventions.
More than one in five children now have a diagnosable mental health condition, and many wait over a year to access a mental health specialist, with nearly 40,000 children waiting more than two years in 2023-24. Research shows that it is 100 times cheaper to treat a young person in the community than as an in-patient. The Government have taken steps to improve mental health support in schools, but youth services play a critical role in addressing these challenges early on. While I recognise all the work that this Government have already done to address these issues, the challenges facing the sector require more than short-term funding. The youth investment fund, for example, is helping to develop youth facilities, but it largely covers capital investment, leaving critical gaps in operational funding for staffing and programme delivery.
Alice Macdonald (Norwich North) (Lab/Co-op)
I thank my hon. Friend for her excellent speech. I totally agree that we need investment in capital as well as revenue funding. I recently brought together young people and youth organisations in Norwich to discuss the challenges they face, and there was a particular gap in the period between 3 pm and 7 pm. Does my hon. Friend agree that, when we are developing these strategies, we must make sure that the voices of those on the ground, particularly young people, are at the forefront?
Harpreet Uppal
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. We must make sure that young people play a part in the programmes that are delivered for them.
While 22 young futures hubs are being piloted through the shared outcomes fund, they are only funded for one year. To recover from years of Conservative neglect, youth services need sustainable, long-term funding.
Tahir Ali (Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Allin-Khan. Does my hon. Friend agree that, to ensure adequate provision for youth services, we need to consider creating a statutory youth service with ringfenced funding? That would ensure that young people across the country are able to access high-quality services irrespective of the financial position of the local council. Often, when cuts are made to youth services, they cannot do that.
Harpreet Uppal
I agree with my hon. Friend that we need more investment in youth services, and I am sure the Minister has heard the point about statutory provision.
I know from recent meetings with incredible organisations working in this space that the young futures hubs pilot is hugely welcomed, and they would appreciate confirmation from the Minister of the timeline for delivery of the hubs. In addition, the Duke of Edinburgh’s award team are calling for a universal enrichment guarantee that offers 80 hours of enrichment activity per year, giving all young people regular access to positive activities. I hope the Minister will look into that new policy from the Duke of Edinburgh’s award team.
The benefits of investing in youth services are clear. As the Labour party manifesto said,
“nothing says more about the state of a nation than the wellbeing of its children.”
Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) (Lab)
I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate. In Birmingham Erdington, we have a high proportion of young people with poor access to youth services and shockingly high youth knife crime statistics. Does she agree that the youth funding crisis must be urgently resolved?
Harpreet Uppal
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and I hope we can work together on that issue in the future.
Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)
It is obviously a pleasure to follow my near neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Erdington (Paulette Hamilton). Politics is about choices, and it is no surprise that not a single Conservative Back Bencher is here to listen or contribute to the debate. With that in mind, will my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield join me in calling on Conservative-run Staffordshire county council to pull its finger out and make sure that young constituents in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove and across the county get the youth services they need and deserve?
Harpreet Uppal
I support my hon. Friend’s call, and it is disappointing that we do not have any Members from the official Opposition present.
Research shows that, for every £1 invested in youth work, the return to the taxpayer is between £3.20 and £6.40. Additionally, for every £1 invested in child and adolescent mental health services, the return on investment is an estimated £2.85 in benefits to the individual and an additional £1.40 in savings to the Government.
Natasha Irons (Croydon East) (Lab)
If anyone does not get to intervene today, I would ask them to please sign up to my Backbench Business debate on youth services, because we need more time to discuss this matter. As my hon. Friend rightly points out, supporting youth services is not just a moral case, but a financial one. Does she agree that the 73% decline in youth services points to the fact that we need to give them statutory protection and to have benchmarks for provision?
Harpreet Uppal
I do agree that we need more protections, and I am sure the Minister has heard my hon. Friend’s point about statutory protection. I, too, urge hon. Members to sign up to my hon. Friend’s application for a Backbench Business debate.
As hon. Members have said, providing youth services reduces the need later in life for more costly interventions, from social care to the criminal justice system. It also means that we give young people an opportunity to thrive.
A thriving youth sector depends on a strongly skilled workforce, so we need to ensure that the youth sector can attract, train and retain skilled professionals. The National Youth Agency’s 2024 workforce survey found that more than 4,500 youth workers have left the profession in the past decade, and only six undergraduate youth work programmes remain, down from 37 in 2013. At the same time, the demand for youth services is constantly increasing, with 82% of youth sector organisations reporting growing demand for mental health support.
Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) (PC)
DrMz, a youth organisation in Caerfyrddin, provides a safe space for diverse young people. The young farmers’ clubs also provide life skills that are used in public office, including public speaking, the arts and chairing meetings, for young people in our rural communities. Children’s services are devolved in Wales, but all those things are supported by our local authority. Does the hon. Member agree that adequate local authority funding is essential to safeguard these services for all our young people?
Harpreet Uppal
Yes, I do agree.
If we want the young futures hubs and other youth initiatives to succeed, we need to invest in training and development for youth workers. I urge the Government to consider a national training programme for youth workers to ensure that we have safe, effective and impactful youth provision. Good youth services change lives. Over the past months, I have met and heard stories from national organisations, and I have seen at first hand the incredible work done on the ground in Huddersfield. All of that highlights the transformative effects of providing young people with safe spaces, trusted relationships and pathways to brighter futures.
I know from first-hand experience that when young people are given the right support, they go on to achieve their potential, contribute to their communities and lead happier, healthier lives. Unfortunately, too many times I have seen talent squandered. We must ensure that every young person, no matter where they live, has access to high-quality youth services. The evidence is clear: investment in youth work is an investment in the future of our young people and our country. If we want to meet our growth ambitions, that also means investing in our young people.
I thank hon. Members for intervening, and I look forward to hearing from the Minister how we can work together to restart and strengthen youth provision across the country.
Oral Answers to Questions
Harpreet Uppal Excerpts(5 months, 2 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Chris Bryant
I will happily meet the hon. Member, who makes a very good point. We have hundreds of museums and galleries across the country. Some of them receive funding directly from Arts Council England. We want to talk to Arts Council England about how we can ensure that there is more support for our museums and galleries. Some of the funding comes directly from our Department. I am happy to meet him to discuss that.
Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)
Stephanie Peacock
We know just how important the work of the Rugby Football League is in communities —I have seen it at first hand, as I know you have, Mr Speaker. It is one of the reasons the RFL has received just under £1 million in funding from Sport England over the past financial year to help tackle inequalities and improve access. I look forward to working with the sport in the months and years ahead.