§ Jeff EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Sure Start schemes are operating in England; and how many of these are community-led schemes. [145467]
§ Margaret HodgeAll 524 planned Sure Start local programmes are now operating, serving many of the most disadvantaged communities in England. All Sure Start programmes are 'community-led' through a partnership (made up of parents, community groups, and local representatives of voluntary and statutory organisations providing services to the families in the area) that designs the programme after consultation with families and workers in the area so that services reflect the needs of the community. These partnerships, in the main, have no legal status and are not1334W incorporated bodies. One of the partner organisations must act as the 'accountable body' and take the legal responsibility for receiving the grant on behalf of the partnership. 86 programmes (16 per cent.) have non-statutory organisations as their accountable body, and of these, 16 (3 per cent.) are community groups or partnerships who have taken legal status for the purpose of running the programme.