Sport: Participation

Lord Ouseley
asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements are being put in place to meet the target of having 2 million more people participating in sport by 2012. [HL5478]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes)
The Government's legacy action plan target is to get 2 million more people active by 2012, which will mean individuals participating three times a week, for at least 30 minutes each time. Sport England has developed a new strategy to deliver 1 million of these through sport, with greater responsibility and accountability given to national governing bodies, which will be commissioned to deliver through a new generation of whole sport plans. A range of government departments, including the Department of Health, the Department for Transport and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are working together on physical activity initiatives to ensure the overall legacy target is reached.

Lord Ouseley
asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they intend to meet any increased demand for more sports facilities derived from the target of having 2 million more people participating in sport by 2012, having regard to the loss of sporting facilities such as playing fields over the past 20 years. [HL5479]

Lord Carter of Barnes
Since 1996, 65 per cent of the nation's facilities stock has been either built or refurbished, and now more than 90 per cent of the population live within 20 minutes of two or more of the most in demand sports facilities.

Building on this work, the Government's legacy action plan target is to get 2 million more people active by 2012, and Sport England has developed a new strategy to deliver 1 million of these new participants through sport.

Under this strategy, national governing bodies (NGBs) will be commissioned by Sport England to drive up participation, and given increased responsibility to control the development of their sport. The new generation of whole sport plans will provide a single funding stream through which NGBs can co-ordinate the development of their facilities stock, improving their quality in concert with their participation objectives, and ensuring new demand is met.

From 2001, in excess of £1 billion government and National Lottery funding has helped develop or refurbish over 4,000 sports facilities. Many of these support multi-sport usage, which allows these resources to be maximised. Sport England has now established a facilities improvement service, alongside a range of planning tools for local authorities, as part of its core funded offer. This will encourage similar strategic planning at a local level and ensure that every community has access to as wide a range of facilities as possible.