The total alocation to my Department for youth services for 1995 is £12.615 million which is an increase of 3.8 per cent on the 1994 allocation of £12.151 million.
A number of individual applications relating to new initiatives have been made to the Department under the youth services grant scheme and the special scheme for disadvantaged projects. These are being examined at present in the context of the available resources for 1995.
Pending the outcome of this examination, which will be completed in the next few weeks I am not in a position to say what new initiatives it may be possible to introduce for youth services in 1995.
However, I am fully satisfied that the allocation of £12.615 million will be sufficient to maintain the youth services at satisfactory levels for 1995.