Business of the House

Natasha Irons Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

Order. It would be helpful if the remaining Members could keep their questions very short, so that I can get you all in.

[Natasha Irons (Croydon East) (Lab)]

Croydon’s youth engagement team is a council-run service that provides critical support for young people across Croydon, including keeping kids away from being groomed by gangs, supporting a youth assembly that gives kids a civic voice, and providing a youth hub in New Addington, in my constituency. Those services are now under threat because Croydon council deems them to be non-statutory and needs to make savings. Will the Leader of the House allow time for a debate about long-term funding settlements for youth services and how we can ensure they are given the statutory protections that they need?

[Lucy Powell]

After years of cuts and austerity, we have seen the decimation of youth services and youth hubs in many of our communities, so it is not surprising that knife crime and other issues have increased as a consequence. My hon. Friend knows that this Government are committed to prevention education and to bringing youth hubs to every community.