§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated through the(a) Local Network Fund and (b) Children's Fund to the North East of England; what criteria his Department has laid down for the allocation of this money; and how the arrangements are audited. [173699]
§ Margaret HodgeThe total allocation for the Local Network Fund for Children and Young People and the Children's Fund, in the North East, since May 2001 when the programmes were launched is as follows.
£ Local Network Fund for Children and Young People 7,215,152 Children's Fund: 38,122,961 Criteria
The Local Network Fund and Children's Fund are key elements of the Government's agenda to improve outcomes and opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people. The two programmes have different criteria and delivery arrangements:
The Children's Fund targets 5 to 13-year-olds and aims to develop local preventive strategies for children and young people at risk from social exclusion. The Fund contributes to the development of the wider Local Preventative Strategy which the Government have asked each local authority to devlop for 0 to 19-year-olds. Local Children's Fund partnership boards, covering unitary authorities, decide local priorities for preventive services and allocate Funds through direct commissioning or by inviting applications.
The Local Network Fund targets 0 to 19-year-olds and is delivered through the voluntary sector. Grants up to £7,000 and capacity building support are available to small community groups working with children and young people facing disadvantage. Applicants can bid for funding under one of four themes: economic disadvantage, isolation and access, aspirations and experiences and children's voices. Decisions on funding are taken by panels of local people with experience of the issues faced by young people in their area.
Audit
The Children's Fund, in the North East is administered through 12 programmes each with their own partnership board, lead agency and accountable body. Partnership boards comprise voluntary organisations, statutory agencies as well as members of the local community. The 1328W lead agency is responsible for the operational direction of the programme while the accountable body ensures the financial probity of the Fund.
The Local Network Fund is delivered through a network of 57 local Funds run by voluntary organisations with grant-making and community development experience. Local Funds report, quarterly, to DFES on financial and service performance. DFES also undertakes regular monitoring visits to Funds to assess and improve performance and undertakes an annual financial and performance audit of the Fund.
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money from(a) the Children's Fund and (b) the Local Network Fund has been allocated to projects serving Newcastle East and Wallsend parliamentary constituency. [173700]
§ Margaret HodgeInformation on both the Local Network Fund and Children's Fund is not collected on a parliamentary constituency basis.
Newcastle East and Wallsend is covered by the Tyne and Wear Local Network Fund which has a total allocation since 2001 of £3,146,297.
Newcastle East constituency is within the Newcastle Children's Fund which has a total allocation since 2001 of £4,965,059.
Wallsend is within the North Tyneside Children's Fund which has a total allocation since 2001 of £2,080,433.
Allocations for both programmes are based on indices of child poverty.