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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential relationship between trends in the level of (a) funding for youth services and (b) youth crime.

The Government recognises that the causes of youth crime are complex and are often tied to local factors. Local authorities allocate funding and deliver youth services in line with local need. The Government has made over £200bn available to local authorities to spend on local services over this Spending Review.

The Government is committed to making sure all young people have opportunities to develop the skills, networks and resilience that can improve their life chances and support them to avoid negative pathways such as violence and crime. We are investing up to £80 million in voluntary and community organisations that work with young people through the Youth Investment and #iwill Funds. Government also continues to fund the National Citizen Service - a voluntary and social development programme open to all 15 - 17 year olds across England and Northern Ireland, which aims to build a more responsible, cohesive and engaged society.

DCMS will continue to work closely with the Home Office on the implementation of the Serious Violence Strategy.