To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools with (i) a boys' football team and (ii) a girls' football team that meets Football Association standards. (170110)

The Football Association (FA) advises that there are nearly 5,500 FA charter standard schools. Schools are required to provide football for boys and girls both in the curriculum and out of school hours as part of the qualifying criteria to be an FA charter standard school. Exact numbers of teams in primary and secondary education by gender are not available.

The 2006-07 school sport survey found that 98 per cent. of primary and secondary schools offered football during the last academic year and that 78 per cent. of primary and secondary schools have a link with a local football club.