My mother was disabled throughout my childhood, so I am acutely aware of the impact of disability on families. I have also been a strong supporter of the work of Families United locally with their wonderful holiday playschemes for disabled children.
I believe that all children should be able to access and enjoy playgrounds, and I am sorry to hear that many disabled children have found themselves excluded. I can assure you that the Government thinks that every child deserves equal access to play equipment. As such, where a local council is responsible for a playground, they should be carefully considering how to make them inclusive and accessible.
Further, I welcomed the Local Government Finance Settlement which makes available £54.1 billion during 2022-23 for local government in England, which is an increase of up to £3.7 bullion on 2021-22. I understand that a majority of this funding is un-ringfenced in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local authorities, such as local playgrounds.
I can assure you I will continue to monitor this issue closely, to ensure all children have access to play equipment.