Written question asked by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 May 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 May 2018 (named day). It was answered by Tracey Crouch (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 May 2018 on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Youth Services

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to make the provision of youth services a statutory duty for local authorities.

Answer: Government places a statutory duty on local authorities through 507B of the Education Act 1996, as amended by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (positive leisure-time activities for young people) to secure, so far as reasonably practical, sufficient positive activities for young people. Government believes that local authorities are best placed to secure services that meet the needs of young people within the budget that is available to them.

Secondary information