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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's Statutory guidance for local authorities’ youth provision, published on 27 September 2023, what progress local authorities have made on conducting Needs assessments in their area; and whether her Department has plans to publish he results of what local authorities deliver.

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. Although there is no legal requirement for local authorities to publish their plans, the guidance encourages local authorities to publish their assessment of local needs for youth services as well as the rationale for their actions and decisions. The department does not hold this information centrally and has no plans for a publication on needs assessments