Children's Services

Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab)
17. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of funding allocated to local authorities for children’s services.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Elizabeth Truss)
We have increased the overall spending on early years and children’s services to £12.7 billion.

Liz McInnes
My local council, Rochdale Borough, predicts an overspend of £4.5 million this year on children’s services, with a predicted total overspend in England of £840 million, so will the Chief Secretary now admit that £84 million—just one tenth of the total overspend—goes nowhere near addressing this local and national crisis?

Elizabeth Truss
The £84 million is specifically to roll out pilots and projects that we know have worked to reduce demand on children’s services and make sure children get a better outcome, but at the Budget we also put in an extra £410 million, which councils can spend on either adult social care or children’s social care.

Mr Speaker
It is always worth staying for topical questions, if colleagues are interested.