HL Deb 23 October 1989 vol 511 cc1136-7

2.41 p.m.

Lord Ashbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have offered no financial support to Schools Outreach to assist its educational work in the field of preventive care.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, the Department of Education and Science offered grant to Schools Outreach in 1987 subject to that organisation's securing complementary funding from a local education authority. The department has also offered funding for an evaluation of Schools Outreach's work.

Lord Ashbourne

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that encouraging Answer. Will he confirm that, provided Schools Outreach can obtain local authority funding for 50 per cent. of the wages of any workers it employs, the DES will provide the other 50 per cent., observing that the sums involved are small?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, at a meeting on 15th May, 1989, my honourable friend the Minister of State for Education and Science told Mr. Bailey that a six-year LEA commitment to Schools Outreach would not be a condition of DES funding. Last February Mr. Bailey was also told that if he put forward a firm proposition along the lines proposed by the DES we would take a good look at it and at the possibilities of joint funding even if the precise detail of the conditions we earlier laid down was not met.

Lord Taylor of Blackburn

My Lords, perhaps the Minister can clarify the second part of his reply regarding discussions with Mr. Bailey. Does that mean that the DES is prepared to accept a shorter length of time than the six years?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I believe that that was implicit in my reply. I inform the House that the department and Mr. Bailey have been conducting discussions on the matter for over two years.

Baroness Faithfull

My Lords, is it not cause for real concern that so many children are out of school on any one day in the school year? Research has shown that a number of children are not attending classes in school. Schools Outreach is one of the organisations that can assist in dealing with the situation. Should not that organisation be better supported than it is?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I agree. The Government fully recognise the valuable work done by Schools Outreach. However, it is not the Government's role to step in to support the work of voluntary organisations if those who actually use the services are not prepared to help to secure their continued existence.

Lord Peston

My Lords, I ask the Minister to clarify what I believe he said to his noble friend Lord Ashbourne: first, that the Government support Schools Outreach and believe that it is a good organisation; and, secondly, to the extent that Schools Outreach can raise some funding on its own the Government will be open to persuasion up to a point to match that funding. Is that the message that the Minister's department is seeking to get over?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, that is the message that I am seeking to get over to the House. I should like to add that the conditions attached to the 1987 offer of grant were certainly demanding but the sum of money offered at that time was not inconsiderable. My honourable friend the Minister of State has recently made clear to Mr. Bailey that what is crucial is specific evidence of LEA financial commitment but so far no such evidence has been produced.