Sports: Public Participation

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of people (a) under and (b) over 16 years who participated in at least one active sport in the last four weeks in each year for which figures are available. (247575)

The ‘Taking Part’ survey is a continuous household survey providing national data on participation in culture, leisure and sport by adults aged 16 and over. In those households containing at least one child aged 11 to 15, an interview is also conducted with a randomly selected child.

The following tables show the percentage and number of children and adults who participated in active sport in the past four weeks.

*Table 1: Participation in active sport by children aged 11-15*
	Percentage	Population (Thousand)
2006	95	3,030
2007	95	2,980
Note: Fieldwork for the child element began in January 2006 and runs on a January to December cycle.

*Table 2: Participation in active sport by adults aged 16 and over*
	Percentage	Population (Thousand)
2005-06	54	21,330
2006-07	53	21,310
2007-08	54	22,190
Note: Fieldwork for the main adult survey began in July 2005 and runs on a July to June cycle.

Volume 486: debated on Thursday 15 January 2009