§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Positive Action for Young People fund; and how it will benefit young people in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East. [114308]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisI have been asked to reply.
The Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) programme is designed to divert and develop those young people aged 8–19 most at risk of social exclusion and committing crime. It is being delivered across England from May 2003 to March 2006. £25 million funding is available for the first year of the programme. This funding will deliver a minimum of 22,000 full time places (this being from midday to 9 pm on each day of the school holidays). Provision will take place in all of the school holiday periods. In addition to the activities one-to-one support is available for the most at risk young people.
In Middlesborough, South and Cleveland, East areas PAYP is being delivered by Connexions Tees Valley. They have received a funding allocation of £279,000. They are working closely with local partners to ensure that areas of greatest need have appropriate provision and are consulting young people about the types of activities to offer. They are also working closely with local agencies to identify the young people to target under the programme.