The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Stuart Andrew)
I am pleased to respond to this debate and grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) for securing it.
The contributions from Members throughout the Chamber show the huge impact that the sport of rugby has had in the 200 years since William Webb Ellis first ran with the ball at Rugby School. I think all Members will agree that rugby has made an overwhelmingly positive contribution to sport and culture in our country. As we have heard, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the sport of rugby in its bicentennial year. I am delighted that, as my hon. Friend mentioned, I will be joining him for the launch of the celebrations at Rugby School on Sunday—although I have to say that I have some trepidation about taking part in the pass of the ball, because I am renowned for dropping them. I am rather pleased that the modern version makes it easier for me to at least hold the thing.
The sport of rugby football, both union and league, has had a huge impact in the United Kingdom. Whether through inspiring moments at the elite level or bringing people together at the grassroots level, rugby clearly enriches lives. It continues to be one of our biggest participation sports, bringing communities together and, crucially, helping to keep people active. We should be proud that a sport that was born in England is now a truly global one that is making a positive impact in local communities all around the world.
The sport already has a great legacy, and it is one that we as a Government want to continue to support and to see grow and develop even further. We have shown our commitment to doing that during the recent challenges of the pandemic. Through the £600 million sport survival package, we helped to ensure the survival of rugby union and rugby league. I pay tribute to the Under-Secretary of State for International Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Nigel Huddleston), who did an enormous amount of work in that period. We also worked hard to enable the safe return of the grassroots game as soon as possible, despite the challenges presented by the close contact in the sport.
This year, 2023, promises to be a big year for the sport of rugby union, and one that is worthy of such an anniversary. I am sure the House is aware that the Six Nations begins this weekend. I am looking forward to attending England’s match tomorrow against Scotland at Twickenham, where I expect that the Calcutta cup will be as fiercely contested as ever. As we have heard, September and October will see the men’s rugby union world cup take place in France. It will see nations from around the globe vying to take home the cup that bears the name of the Rugby schoolboy who started it all off in the first place.
As my hon. Friend mentioned, it is important that we recognise the contributions of both codes of rugby football. Last year saw England successfully host the rugby league world cup. It was a groundbreaking tournament that will hopefully inspire further growth of the game. For the first time, the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments were held concurrently, ensuring that they shared the spotlight that can all too often be reserved for the men’s game. It really was an amazing tournament to go and see. I was particularly pleased with the wheelchair team’s success in the final. It was great to be there. It has inspired so many other people to get involved in the game. All participants were paid the same and all 61 matches across the three competitions were broadcast live.
The importance of taking part in sport and physical activity has never been clearer. As we continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic, sports such as rugby can play a vital role in getting our nation active and improving our physical and mental health, as well as building a sense of community. The Government will reaffirm their commitment to the importance of sport and physical activity when we publish our new sport strategy this year.
I thank my hon. Friend for raising the value of charity and community work through organisations such as Wooden Spoon. As Minister for Civil Society and Youth, I understand the importance of such organisations to local communities throughout the nation. We cannot underestimate their huge contribution to our nation, particularly in challenging times such as those we are experiencing. I sincerely thank them for all the work they do.
As I have said, rugby’s bicentenary is a milestone that is worthy of celebration. My hon. Friend mentioned a whole raft of events to which we can look forward this year. I have to say, though, that I am somewhat bemused by the idea of a scrum of 3,000 pupils; all I can say is what could possibly go wrong?
The bicentenary also provides an opportunity for reflection and to consider the continued growth and development of the game. I mentioned the positive steps we saw last year at the rugby league world cup, with equal prominence given to the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions. Hopefully that precedent will be built on in future tournaments. In rugby union, England have also been leading the way in progressing the women’s game. England were the first country in 2019 to offer full-time contracts to their women’s squad. Since then, the Red Roses have gone from strength to strength, setting a new record for consecutive victories in international rugby union at 30 and winning the last four Six Nations championships in the process. That run came to an agonising end in November, when the Red Roses narrowly lost the world cup final to New Zealand, which I know will make my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Angela Richardson) rather happy but made the rest of us feel heartbreak. I certainly felt that in the early hours as I watched it from home.
Other countries have clearly taken note and have started to follow England’s lead with the awarding of full-time contracts to their women’s teams. That can only help to improve the women’s game and encourage more women and girls to play the sport. The Government are absolutely committed to supporting women’s rugby, and women’s sport more broadly, at every opportunity, pushing for greater participation, employment, commercial opportunities and visibility in the media. England will be hosting the next women’s world cup in 2025, which will represent a great opportunity to continue to grow the game. I am sure that Members will join me in hoping that the tournament can set new attendance records and that the Red Roses can win the trophy on home soil and bring it home.
While we are on the issue of inclusivity, hon. Members rightly pointed out the enormous range of backgrounds that rugby attracts. The hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard) was right to mention the first black player, Jimmy Peters.
As we have heard from Members across the House, the sport of rugby has had a profound impact on our country over the last 200 years. I am sure that William Webb Ellis would be amazed at how far the game has come in that time. I hope the sport continues to grow and positively contribute to all our lives in the years ahead. I can assure my hon. Friends that I will continue to work with the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League and Sport England to support rugby in all its forms.
Once again, let me take this opportunity to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby for securing this insightful debate, thank hon. Members for their contributions, and wish all those in rugby across the world a great year of celebration. I look forward to being there on Sunday in great company and hope I do not drop the ball.
Question put and agreed to.