Sure Start Children’s Centres

Part of Suppmentary Estimates 2010-11 — Department for Education – in the House of Commons at 2:57 pm on 2 March 2011.

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Photo of Andrew Slaughter Andrew Slaughter Shadow Minister (Justice) 2:57, 2 March 2011

The theory sounds fine, but the practice is different. I am trying not to be party political, but let us say that a council decides it is going to cut the Sure Start budget by about half and close most of its centres. That cannot be dressed up as back-office services, and for many children, the essential services with which they are currently provided will not be there. Should that be a matter for the Government to take an interest in?