---

Children's Plan

I thank my right hon. Friend, and praise him for the leadership that he has provided in this regard. It was his 2004 review ““Getting Serious About Play”” that paved the way for today's announcements. My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to stress the importance of provision for children's play, and that of the creation of spaces in which children can play safely. In our report and in response to the views expressed to us by parents, we have encouraged local authorities to go further in introducing 20 mph speed limits in areas where children play. We have also encouraged them to think about the way in which they design housing, not just to tackle overcrowding but to ensure that there are proper places in which children can play. In my view we need children to be seen and heard, and we need to move away from the old-style ““no ball games”” culture to a world in which there are spaces for them to play. We are funding that today, but it will require leadership at local level. It will also require leadership from Members of Parliament in building coalitions in every constituency to implement the plan's proposals.