To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards increasing participation in sport among people (a) from black and ethnic minority groups, (b) with a limiting disability, (c) from low socio-economic groups and (d) who are female; and what steps he plans to take to make further progress in these areas. (223476)

[holding answer 15 September 2008]: The DCMS ‘Taking Part’ survey provides national data on sports participation.

The most recent results were published in June 2008 and provide provisional estimates from year 3 of the survey. The following tables provide a comparison between final baseline figures from year 1, final estimates from year 2 and provisional estimates from the first six months of year 3. There have been no statistically significant differences between the baseline and latest estimates for either of the two measures.

The first table indicates the percentage of people from the named groups that take part in active sport. The active sport indicator is defined as at least one occasion of participation in an active sport during the past four weeks.

The second table indicates the percentage of people from the named groups that take part in moderate level intensity sport. The moderate level intensity sport indicator is defined as participation in moderate intensity level sport for at least 30 minutes on three separate days during the past week.

A key element of Sport England’s new three-year strategy (2008-11) is to get one million people doing more sport by 2012-13 and they will work with and through National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) to deliver this target. NGBs will be challenged through the Whole Sport plan process to consider how they can encourage the participation of under-represented groups.