Schools Outreach: Funding (Hansard, 3 July 1991)

§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)
My Lords, the funding to which my noble friend refers was offered to Schools Outreach to support a specific and substantial project, subject to that organisation securing complementary funding from a local education authority. Since that condition was not met, the department could not provide funding for the project.

§ Lord Ashbourne
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that carefully worded reply. Observing that Schools Outreach was originally offered over a three-year period £150,000, which has never been received, and considering that the DES is currently being asked to match the commitment, which totals less than £100,000 over four years, made by the Berkshire local authority, will she now tell the House when the Government intend to honour their promise and match pound for pound the current commitment from the Berkshire local authority?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the application for funds to support the Berkshire project is with my department and is being considered at this time. The figure of £150,000 mentioned by my noble friend was subject to three conditions, which were not met. The offer therefore remains on the table until those conditions are met.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, will the noble Baroness do her very best to ensure that her department deals quickly with the Berkshire Outreach application? Voluntary organisations suffer all the time from delay by the Government in dealing with commitments. Is she aware that it makes it extremely difficult when there are cash flow problems of that order?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the noble Baroness will know that we are very impressed with the work of that organisation. I myself am on record as saying that I 980 am impressed with the organisation. The matter is being pressed in the department and I understand that a decision will shortly be made. In addition, the department has put up money for a proper evaluation of all the work of the organisation called Outreach.

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, will the Minister tell the House what are the three conditions that have not been met?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, they are that the project was conducted in one single LEA; that the LEA would guarantee to make a financial commitment to the project for three years, given that it is work which complements work going on in the LEA; and that following that and subject only to a favourable assessment the LEA would continue to fund the project for a further three years at the level previously supported by the DES.

§ Baroness Faithfull
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that research has shown that non-attendance at school in this country—which anyway is illegal—is very high and that it is very difficult for the social service departments and education welfare officers to combat it, whereas Schools Outreach helps to meet that need? Would it be possible to expedite the grant given to that organisation?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, my noble friend makes an important point. The work is very much geared toward helping young people who for one reason or another do not go to school. But that is very much to the benefit of the local education authority. If the local education authorities would become involved in these projects—as indeed Berkshire has done, which is being considered—they would find it enormously beneficial to enter jointly into a project with Outreach.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, does the Minister agree that this is an extremely worthwhile project and that it is a great pity that there has been such delay in getting it under way? Does she also agree that the problem for local education authorities arises from a combination of cuts in education expenditure imposed by the Government and the need for financial delegation to schools? Is she aware that that makes it extremely difficult for local authorities to support this kind of project, however worth while it may be?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, we have already entered into arrangements with Outreach. We have been working on a project in Birmingham, for example, with Outreach. We now have the application for Berkshire. In the past we have also offered moneys to Outreach conditional upon local education authorities becoming involved. It is possible for LEAs, which are spending money in many other ways, to address the problem.

§ The Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
My Lords, through Schools Outreach potential trouble-makers are at school. Looking to the future, such funding could save this country vast sums of money and perhaps reduce the prison population. Therefore why is the funding not provided at once when a solution to the problem is urgently needed.

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, perhaps I may repeat something that I said. Many LEAs spend vast sums of money in helping young people to remain at school and to be better adjusted while at school. If LEAs would come together with Schools Outreach and the Department of Education and Science there is no reason why some of these projects should not be considered for funding.