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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure costs incurred by local authorities as a result of the covid-19 outbreak do not lead to reductions in the provision of (a) youth work, (b) youth services and (c) other non-statutory services.

This government has provided local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, including over £4.8bn in funding for?spending?pressures. On Monday 12 October, the Prime Minister confirmed around £1bn of new funding will be made available to councils across England to support them during this unprecedented time.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure youth services to young people under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, and the government expects them to fulfil that duty.