Youth service grant levels
The Minister said £2.95 million was allocated to youth organisations in 1985, alongside local VEC support. He rejected claims that grants failed to keep pace with inflation, while noting that new support areas made year-on-year comparison difficult.
asked the Minister for Labour the total grant to the various youth clubs; and if he is satisfied that adequate resources are available for the youth services.
Comment on this
The total grant-in-aid fund for youth organisations and other services related to youth in 1985 is £2,950,000. These funds are, in the main, allocated to voluntary youth organisations and groups. No youth clubs are funded directly from this provision.
The Department of Education, through vocational education committees, provide support for youth and sports activities at local level. I understand that in 1985 total support through the VECs amounted to £1,581,000.
In addition, youth groups are being assisted by my Department in the construction or renovation of indoor facilities such as youth centres and scout or guide dens. Already this year a total of £210,000 has been allocated for this purpose.
Finally, youth groups benefit from my Department's Teamwork youth employment scheme. In 1985 some £2,150,000 has been allocated under this scheme to youth organisations and groups. The total of the funds involved, approximately £6.9 million, represents a significant investment by the Government in the youth service.
Comment on this
Would the Minister of State give the percentage increase in overall youth grants in 1985 over 1984?
Comment on this
The increase from 1982 to date is some 97 per cent, an increase from £1.497 million to £2.95 million. It does not lend itself readily to comparison between 1984 and 1985 because a number of new areas of support have been introduced.
Comment on this
Will the Minister of State deny the argument made by a number of youth organisations that the grant in 1985 is little more than in line with inflation and in many cases less than what is required to enable them to continue the services they have been giving now for a number of years?
Comment on this
No, that argument has not been advanced nor could it be advanced because it would be wholly without foundation. The subhead that I have referred to supports activity under a number of different headings. The major one is the area of direct support to individual youth organisations channelled through their headquarters. No youth organisation received an amount that was less than the inflation rate and each one received an amount that was something more than the inflation rate.