Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will prioritise local authority children’s services at the next spending review.

Local authorities have access to over £200bn to deliver services, including children’s services, between 2015 and 2020. Local government Core Spending Power will increase in real terms next year.

At Budget 2018 the Government announced an additional £410m in 2019-20 for adults and children’s social care, and £84m to support local authorities to expand programmes for children and families.

Day-to-day departmental budgets for 2020-21 onwards have not yet been set. These are a matter for the Spending Review this year, where the Government will set out our priorities for public spending.