§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the reduction in Children's Fund money for projects on jobs and services for young people. [151429]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 27 January 2004]The 2003–04 mid-year review of expenditure found that the Children's Fund was underspent in the first half of the year.
The Department met representatives from the main voluntary sector organisations involved in the Fund, the LGA and the ADSS on 18 December to discuss the review and assess its impact. Officials then wrote to all Children's Fund partnerships on 19 December 2003. We advised partnerships that where our decisions at the mid-year review had compromised their ability to meet contractual obligations, we would revisit them. Furthermore, we set aside some money to assist where there was a likelihood of staff redundancy or premature closure of services. The Children's Fund regional teams discussed this in detail with partnerships during January, identifying where we should restore funds taken back in the mid year review. This process was completed at the end of January.