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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the claim by the YMCA that, adjusted to real terms, Harrow West has experienced a decrease in funding for youth services of 61 per cent in the last decade; and if she will make a statement.

Local Authorities have a statutory duty to allocate funding to youth services in line with local need. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, which was over £12 billion this year.

The government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people. The government is investing £560 million over the next 3 years in a new National Youth Guarantee, so that by 2025 every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.