Conservative conference: Youth services in danger at DfE, warns Loughton

Addressing delegates at a Conservative party conference fringe event, Tim Loughton said he was concerned about the future of youth issues within the department, warning that young people’s services are of “diminishing significance” at the DfE, particularly since he and Sarah Teather were ousted from their children’s minister posts in the Prime Minister’s reshuffle.?

“Myself and Sarah Teather really had to battle against various unnamed forces in the past to keep the youth role of the DfE on the agenda, be it everything from dangerous behaviours to teenagers and funding for youth voice,” he said.?

Loughton, who is MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, added that the future of the Youth Action Group – which was established as part of the Positive for Youth statement and brings together ministers from across government with youth charities – is also uncertain.?

“I don’t know the future of the Youth Action Group,” he said. “But I very much hope it carries on. What we were achieving was quite rare. We were tackling things like the unintended consequences of housing benefit rules on young people leaving care, and all sorts of strange things that were happening across departments.”?

Loughton urged government to commit to reviewing Positive for Youth one year on from its launch, as was planned while he was still in post.?

“We promised to do a 12-month review of Positive for Youth, which is due just before Christmas,” he said. “I will be tabling certain parliamentary questions and putting in for a debate on Positive for Youth a year on to keep it on the agenda in government.”