HC Deb 17 December 1987 vol 124 c671W
Mr. Gwilym Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to encourage the development of children's play in Wales.

Mr. Peter Walker

Following the liquidation of Playboard in March of this year, a panel was set up drawn from the voluntary sector, the Welsh Counties Committee, the Committee of Welsh District Councils and the Sports Council for Wales to advise on the allocation of £50,000 earmarked for expenditure in 1987–88 and on the way forward for children's play in Wales. The panel has recently reported and I have decided that for this financial year I will make the following allocations.

  1. (a) £35,000 will be made available to help equip play resource centres. These centres which provide play equipment such as inflatable castles etc. on loan to groups working in the community. I am seeking bids from voluntary and public bodies to utilise these funds.
  2. (b) £10,000 will be provided to the Wales Play Association to help towards their set-up costs and to undertake a training initiative.
  3. (c) £5,000 will be made available to help establish the organisation to take forward children's play in the longer term.

For the longer term, I have asked the Committee of Welsh District Councils to set up a management committee to act as a host body for the development of children's play in Wales.