National Youth Strategy

Lord Bailey of Paddington Excerpts

Thursday 23rd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

As I said, we will publish the criteria in due course, but I assure the noble Lord that we worked with young people and sector experts in co-producing the strategy Youth Matters. Those voices from the sector were at the heart of how we created the strategy and they will be part of the conversation going forward.

[Lord Bailey of Paddington (Con)]

Given that the uniformed groups, particularly the cadets, are a major force for good in this country and expose young people in disadvantaged communities to some of the most committed professional people on the planet, what reassurances can the Minister give us that the Government will look at the long-term financial viability of cadets based in the community and in schools? I declare my interest as chair of a cadet health check team and that yesterday my daughter became a serving member of the RAF.

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I congratulate the noble Lord on his daughter’s success in her career and wish her all the best for the future. We recognise the role that uniformed youth groups can play. That is why we are providing £1.2 million of transitional funding. We will publish criteria for future funding soon. We anticipate that these organisations will be eligible for our future funds. Like the noble Lord, we know how important the uniformed youth organisations are— and not just in an ethereal, theoretical sense. Up and down the country, the adults running some of these organisations are working with young people who need that trusted adult to take forward and mentor them.