To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department plans to provide for sport-related activities in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in 2009-10. (282563)

Sport England have advised that the total projected investment in sport in Essex and Castle Point cannot be determined at this point.

Sport England has recently invested £120 million in national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport to deliver grassroots sport in the community for the period 2009-10. The NGBs are defining what they need for their sport at a national, regional and sub-regional level to ensure more people play and enjoy their sport. Investment will in turn be directed by NGBs into areas where they believe it will best achieve their, and Sport England’s, strategic outcomes. These areas will vary from sport to sport and region to region. Essex is set to benefit when funding is released from the NGBs over the coming year.

It is possible to say, though, that Sport England is planning to invest £2,338,411¹ in sport in Essex for the financial year 2009-10.

This includes:

(ii) Sport Unlimited

Sport Unlimited is an integral part of the Government’s PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP)—the five hour offer. The overall aim of Sport Unlimited is to increase opportunities for Children and Young People aged five to 19 to participate regularly in sport.

It will do this by providing a range of attractive and sustainable opportunities in sporting activities for young people from the ‘semi sporty population segment’ to take part in out of school hours during term time and will focus on out of school hours and ‘club’ activities both within school and community settings.

In Essex and Castle Point, approximately £344,425 is currently assigned this financial year to deliver projects across the city.

(iii) Step into Sport

Focuses on young people aged 14 to 19, giving them opportunities to become involved in sports leadership and volunteering and encouraging them to continue this into later life. The programme is funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as part of the PESSYP strategy, which is revitalising PE and school sport across the country. Essex has been awarded £22,000 for 2009-10.

(iv) Free Swimming

Castle Point has been allocated £110,062 of funding under the Free Swimming Programme and Colchester borough council have been awarded £105,705 of funding for the refurbishment of fitness pool facilities at Colchester Leisure World.

¹ This is taken from Sport England’s annual projected cash flow and may not be the actual figure at the end of this financial year as some organisations may not draw down the required funds until 2010-11.