§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on changes in the Children's Fund budget made after the mid-year review; and what assessment he has made of the effects of the changes. [148914]
§ Margaret HodgeThe 2003 –04 mid year review of expenditure identified approximately £12.5 million in underspend from quarters 1 and 2.
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 partnership on 19 December 2003. We advised partnerships that where our decision to take back underspends at the mid-yew 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 have continued to discuss the detailed implications with partnerships and this process will be completed at the end of January.