Oral Answers to Questions

Jim McMahon Excerpts

Monday 28th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Jim McMahon.

[Jim McMahon (Oldham West and Royton) (Lab/Co-op)]

indicated dissent.

[Mr Speaker]

I beg your pardon; I am getting ahead of myself. I call Neil Coyle.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I call Jim McMahon.

[Jim McMahon (Oldham West and Royton) (Lab/Co-op)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was frantically trying to think of a question when you called me just now. I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

The number of children in need is up, the number of looked-after children is up and the numbers of child protection plans and child conferences are up, yet the Government grant has gone down. This year, children’s services face a £1 billion funding gap—£3 billion by 2024-25—and the Local Government Association, the Children’s Commissioner, Action for Children and our councils have all warned that children will be at risk. So where’s the money?

[Rishi Sunak]

The hon. Gentleman should know that last year £1 billion more was spent on children’s services than when we came into office and that the recent Budget announced an extra £420 million that could be spent on children’s services. Government Members are, however, concerned with outcomes, not just the amount of money we plough into things, which is why the Department for Education is working closely with the best-performing areas to spread best practice across the country.