I believe the Government should fully fund youth services and ensure that they are accessible and fit for the modern age. The Government’s commitment to produce a youth charter is welcome, along with the additional £400 million it is investing in sport this summer. However, I am concerned that it is too little too late.  The loss of youth services and youth work has had a negative impact on young lives across the country and has left many young people with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no one to speak to outside of school and their home environment.

I pay tribute to councillors and council staff who, despite years of uncertainty over local government funding, work hard to keep youth services going. It is also testament to our voluntary sector that provision has not completely collapsed, and I commend organisations like the Sea Cadets, the ​YMCA, the Scouts, the Guides, the Boys Brigade and the Girls Brigade, all of which have innovated to keep open-access youth work alive.

I remain concerned that, after nine years of austerity, many parts of our country now have no recognisable youth services at all. Since 2010, councils have faced a reduction to core funding of nearly £16 billion – a loss of 60p in every £1 that the Government spends on local services. As a result, at least 760 youth centres have closed across the country and 14,500 youth and community workers have lost their jobs.

On Wednesday (24 July 2019), MPs debated the role and sufficiency of youth services, which play a vital role in our communities. They provide a safe space for young people to be creative, develop friendships and learn new skills, and they facilitate young people’s personal, social and educational development.