§ Andrew SelousTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions of 15 March 2004,Official Report, column 12, on child poverty, if he will list for each year since 1997 for which data is available the resources that the Government has put into counselling and encouraging people to resolve their relationship difficulties in the interests of their children. [184445]
§ Margaret HodgeThere are a number of ways in which the Government encourage people to resolve relationship difficulties in the interests of the child. The Marriage and Relationship Support (MARS) grant funds activities aimed at helping people establish, maintain and develop successful relationships with their partners. This includes encouraging people to resolve 139W relationship difficulties in the interests of their children and meeting the needs of socially and commonly excluded groups.
The MARS programme (since 1997) provided grants as follows: 1997–98: £3.4 million; 1998–99: £3.0 million; 1999–2000: £3.2 million. Following Sir Graham Hart's recommendations in his report to the Lord Chancellor on Marriage Support Funding (published in November 1999), the allocation was increased as follows: 2000–01:£4 million; 2001–02: £4.5 million; 2002–03 and 2003–04: £5 million.
Additionally, Sure Start local programmes and Children's Centres provide a range of family support and counselling services and opportunities for couples to discuss relationship issues. Similarly, a Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) officer might be involved at court directions hearings in providing assistance to children and their families to help them reach agreement on arrangements for their children, primarily in respect of contact and residence.