Local Authorities: Funding

Lord Laming Excerpts

Tuesday 18th November 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, this is just not the case. The most deprived councils receive, on average, 50% more than the least deprived. I will give examples from either end of the spectrum. Middlesbrough gets £2,500 per dwelling and Poole gets £1,678 per dwelling.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, in the light of recent media reports, what steps are the Government taking to ensure that child protection services are improved, especially in those areas where the need is greatest?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

Child protection is an incredibly important area—certainly in light of some of the stories we have heard in recent weeks. All local authority officials working with children have a duty of care to those children. This is something we talked about a few weeks ago in terms of firming up some of those multidisciplinary arrangements. These are essential in joining together protections for children.