EASINGTON MP Grahame Morris has sounded the alarm over youth services cuts.

New analysis by the House of Commons Library reveals that average spending per each 16 to 24-year-old in the North-East has fallen from £160 in 2011/12 to just £59 in 2018/19 – down 65.9 per cent.

Average spending for young people in the age group has fallen from £142 in 2011/12 to just £56 in 2018/19 – down 60 per cent.

The West Midlands, North-East, North-West, and Yorkshire & the Humber have seen the biggest falls in spending per young person.

Mr Morris said further analysis reveals that while the least deprived areas saw spending fall by just over half, in the most deprived areas it fell by two thirds –above the average for the country.

Labour say the Conservatives are set to break their manifesto promise to fund youth services, “failing a generation of young people”.

Labour have called on the Government to stick to their manifesto pledge to provide £500 million to youth services by April 2020 and deliver this critical fund to prevent yet more youth centres being forced to close.

Mr Morris said: “Youth services are a vital lifeline for young people, particularly those living in areas of deprivation.

“But with Government cuts year on year, hundreds of youth centres have closed in every region, leaving young people isolated at this very difficult time”.

“Over a year ago the Conservatives promised to introduce the Youth Investment Fund to support youth services. Yet not one penny has materialised.”