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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the availability of the Adventures Away From Home Fund for 26/27 on schools in Huntingdonshire.

This Government fully recognises the value of outdoor learning and its positive impact on young people’s wellbeing, school attainment, and reducing negative future outcomes.

As part of Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy, DCMS is investing over £60 million to provide local organisations with money to deliver high-quality youth work and enriching activities, as well as £350 million to refurbish or build up to 250 youth facilities. This will include outdoor activities and many other fun activities that benefit young people. We are designing the programme and will provide eligibility criteria in due course.

We have also launched Every Child Can, which will invest £132.5m of dormant assets exclusively across the five key categories of enrichment announced in the Enrichment Framework. This includes opportunities in nature, outdoor and adventure.