Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to provide youth services with adequate funding in (a) Stoke-on-Trent North constituency and (b) Kidsgrove.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area. This government is aware that after 14 years of decline, many local authorities are struggling with budgets and this has had a direct impact on young people across the country.

That is why, on 17 October 2024, the Secretary of State committed to a new National Youth Strategy, co-produced with young people and the youth sector to support a generation to succeed. We will provide further updates to the House in due course.