Youth Services (Hansard, 23 January 1995)

§ Baroness David
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of recent proposals to reorganise the National Youth Agency and cut its budget for 1995–96, they remain committed to the youth service.

Lord Lucas
Yes, my Lords. The Department for Education's objectives include support for statutory and voluntary youth services. They also include the broader aim of furthering the personal, social and moral development of young people. The National Youth Agency is currently the subject of a periodic policy review. The review team's interim conclusions have now gone out to consultation. Ministers will not be formulating their views until the final report is submitted. I have placed a copy of the interim report and evidence in the Library.

§ Baroness David
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. However, is he aware that there is still considerable doubt among all those involved in the youth service about the commitment of the Government because of what they have done? Is he further aware that the Youth Service Advisory Committee and the maintained youth service sector are very concerned at the department's recent proposal to dismember the National Youth Agency and restructure it without consultation with the voluntary sector and to cut the agency's budget by £200,000? Why is there a need for change, and why the haste? It is only four years since the National Youth Agency was set up. Can the Government never leave anything alone and give those who are clearly involved and have a great commitment a proper chance to get the thing going?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, every non-departmental public body is subject to review every five years and it is quite proper that that should be so. In the case of the National Youth Agency, as I said in my first reply, the interim report has been published. Ministers have yet to take a position on it. Indeed, they will not take a position until the final report has been published. Many organisations were consulted in the run-up to the interim report. That included a very large number of voluntary organisations. It is open to any organisation, voluntary or otherwise, which has opinions based on the interim report to submit them to the department and to Ministers. They will then be considered.

§ Baroness David
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the review was published only before Christmas and the responses have to be in by the middle of February? That is not much time.

Lord Lucas
My Lords, there are two elements to my answer to the noble Baroness. First, most organisations—indeed, so far as we know, all major organisations concerned with the youth service—have 861 been involved in the consultation in the run-up to the interim report. Secondly, the department believes that there is enough time between now and the spring to produce the final report and to make the decisions thereon. If that turns out not to be the case, decisions will not be made in haste. They will be made in a proper time.

§ Baroness Lockwood
My Lords, were the local authority associations consulted about the increased responsibilities which it is suggested they should undertake in this reorganisation? If they were not consulted, and if they are not supportive, as I believe to be the case, do the Government have any fall-back proposals to take over part of the funding and the responsibilities which it was proposed the local authority associations should assume?

Lord Lucas
Yes, my Lords, the local authority associations were consulted. We are aware that they have concerns about the proposals in the interim report. They are due to see my honourable friend the Minister responsible for further and higher education shortly. As I have said, Ministers have yet to form a view on these proposals. This is the report of an interim working group and are not the Government's own proposals.

§ Lord Morris of Castle Morris
My Lords, is the Minister aware of the statement in The Times Educational Supplement of last week, where the leader says: the National Youth Agency is threatened with dismemberment by the Department for Education, apparently because it provided a very effective national voice for a youth service under threat, but proved less amenable to toeing the official line. In particular the NYA, under its outspoken director, Janet Paraskeva, has fought hard to save youth service funding from the increasingly damaging effects of local spending cuts"? Is there any truth in that, or is this usually very responsible newspaper indulging in baseless, groundless and senseless speculation?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, I would not dream of saying any such thing about The Times Educational Supplement. But on this occasion there is no truth in that thought. We do not envisage under any circumstances the dissolution of the National Youth Agency, which has done a great deal of good work. All that is taking place is an ordinary review of how best the National Youth Agency should be funded and how best it should achieve its objectives.