§ Mr. Ennalsasked the Prime Minister if she has yet decided to which of her Ministers to allocate responsibility for children's play in view of the assurance given in the Adjournment debate on 20 October 1982; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI have asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to take on responsibility for coordinating Government policy in relation to children's play. Within his Department, he has asked my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) to take on special responsibility for this subject. The Secretary of State for Education and Science will, of course, continue to have responsibility for play activities organised through the education service, and the Secretary of State for Social Services for the play activities of local authorities' social services departments.
I have decided upon these arrangements in view of the leading role of local authorities' recreation departments in providing out-of-school play facilities, and the extensive funding of play activities through the urban programme. But I am also well aware of the very important role played by voluntary organisations in developing children's play activities, and of the importance of play in enabling children to discover themselves and to develop their capacity for intitiative and self-discipline. My right hon. Friend will be making a further detailed announcement as soon as possible.