Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of broader changes to funding of youth services on the objectives of the National Citizen Service programme.

Mr Rob Wilson

National Citizen Service (NCS) delivers positive outcomes for young people and supports the wider youth sector. NCS is delivered by a supply chain of over 200 youth service providers from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector and from local authorities. Cabinet Office has also pledged to support the #iwill campaign to increase participation in youth social action by continuing to invest in youth social action and share evidence and best practice.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure sufficient services and activities to improve the wellbeing of young people and are best placed to decide how to do so according to local need and resources.