Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support existing programmes aimed at helping to ensure that the views of disadvantaged children in (a) London and (b) other parts of England are taken into consideration by decision-making organisations.

My department is committed to hearing the views of service users, which includes disadvantaged children.

Recently, we have developed a number of ways for young people to be involved in shaping the Opportunity Areas programme.

In Norwich, for example, a youth board challenges the programme strategy. The youth board has also developed interventions for the area. It is hosting a celebration event in September to ‎share their experiences of living in Norwich and to discuss what social mobility means to them.

We also fund a number of research projects, in London and elsewhere, that involve disadvantaged children. These include our pilots on free holiday activities and meals for disadvantaged families.