Written question asked by Chuka Umunna (Labour) on Monday, 22 November 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 24 November 2010. It was answered by Baroness Teather (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 17 January 2011 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Playgrounds: Capital Investment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for capital expenditure on children's playgrounds after the end of the Play Pathfinder funding scheme period in 2011.

Answer: The Government acknowledge how important it is that children and families have safe, free local places to play and also recognise the benefits these places bring to the wider community more generally.However, the fiscal position that Government have inherited means that difficult decisions have to be taken to tackle the deficit. The Department has no plans in the next spending review period to fund a central capital programme dedicated to improving play facilities. It will be for each local authority, with its local partners, to determine its own local priorities.For the future, Government want to move control over local expenditure away from the centre, so that decisions on what gets built where are taken locally, to make the most of the limited resource available.One of the big successes of the current play programme has been the involvement of community groups in helping to improve the availability and quality of local play areas, and we want this level of community engagement to continue. This should provide an opportunity for children and young people, committed individuals and local groups to continue to influence the development of play facilities in their areas.

Secondary information