Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of accessible, covered and indoor sports facilities to participation of disabled people in sport.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In June 2025, DCMS committed £400 million to transform sports and leisure facilities over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.
Sport England ensures its programmes directly benefit disabled people. Through its updated Accessible and inclusive sports facilities (AISF) guidance and partnerships with Activity Alliance, Disability Rights UK, and Aspire, it removes physical barriers in indoor facilities, while campaigns like 'We Are Undefeatable' are actively used to encourage disabled people to confidently utilise these inclusive spaces.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the introduction of School Sport Partnerships and the new Enrichment Framework is supported by sustained levels of funding.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is investing over £1 billion in school sports over the next three years, including £580 million for a new PE and School Sports Partnership Network, £200 million of capital funding for investment in improved facilities, and a final one-off payment of £100 million for PE Premium to support with transition. Detailed design and funding allocations for the Partnership Network will be confirmed through the procurement process, but the approach will focus on ensuring high quality, inclusive physical education and school sport with a specific focus on reducing inactivity and targeting support for children least likely to be active.
The Enrichment Framework will be published this academic year, accompanied by a range of support to help schools’ enrichment offers. We will work with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the National Youth Strategy implementation, including the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme and £132.5 million through the ‘Every Child Can’ Dormant Assets funding.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all children (1) receive a minimum of two hours of high-quality physical education per week, and (2) are supported to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In November 2025, the government responded to the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, in which we accepted the recommendations made on PE. As part of this, we will revisit the aims of compulsory PE across all key stages and make clear the purpose of PE for all pupils, to ensure that schools recognise the need to protect at least two hours of PE time for their pupils throughout their time at school.
The government wants all children to access the significant physical and mental health benefits being physically active provides. The government is investing £1 billion to support this, including £580 million to establish a PE and School Sport Partnership. The network will support access for all children, especially those who are currently less active, through improving PE provision and increasing enrichment opportunities related to physical activity and sport.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure disabled children have equal access to physical education and school sport.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers so that every child can access high-quality physical education and school sport. As part of our commitment to an inclusive school system the Youth Sport Trust is being funded to deliver Inclusion 2028, a programme that supports the school workforce to provide high-quality, inclusive PE and physical activity for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Over £1 billion has been committed to school sport over the next three years, including £580 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, and a £200 million investment in capital facilities. The new Partnerships Network will have a specific focus on tackling inactivity and will build on existing programmes, including Inclusion 2028, strengthening inclusive practice to ensure every child, regardless of need or disability, can participate, build confidence, and benefit from the sense of belonging that school sport provides.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that public investment in sports facilities supports a balanced range of sports, including court-based activities such as tennis and padel.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
At least £400 million will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion. This includes the 2026/27 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme currently in delivery, which is investing £85 million in grassroots sports facilities across the UK. At least 40% of projects funded by this programme will have a multi-sport offer to allow more people to participate in sports other than football, meaning more people can get access to a wider variety of sports and activities that appeal to them including rugby, cricket and basketball.
At least £15 million is being invested into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, with additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways.
We are now working closely with the sports sector and local leaders to develop plans for funding for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs. Although a decision has yet to be made regarding future funding year allocations, we understand the value of multi-year commitments to our delivery partners and will aim to confirm allocations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide multi-year capital funding settlements for community sports facilities.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
At least £400 million will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion. This includes the 2026/27 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme currently in delivery, which is investing £85 million in grassroots sports facilities across the UK. At least 40% of projects funded by this programme will have a multi-sport offer to allow more people to participate in sports other than football, meaning more people can get access to a wider variety of sports and activities that appeal to them including rugby, cricket and basketball.
At least £15 million is being invested into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, with additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways.
We are now working closely with the sports sector and local leaders to develop plans for funding for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs. Although a decision has yet to be made regarding future funding year allocations, we understand the value of multi-year commitments to our delivery partners and will aim to confirm allocations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote multimodal literacy as part of the new curriculum rollout.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government’s ambition is for every child and young person to receive a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative education.
The department agrees with the Curriculum and Assessment Review that building the skills for young people to critically engage with and assess information from a range of sources, including multi-modal texts, is increasingly important.
The reformed English programme of study and English language GCSE will expose students to the study of a wider range of text types and genres, including transient texts, supporting them to analyse and challenge arguments, building media literacy.
Media literacy is an increasingly important skill to enable young people to identify “fake news” and to spot different types of mis- and disinformation, especially online.
Secure, well-founded knowledge is essential for students to understand how arguments are constructed across different types of media and to recognise the various ways in which language can be used to persuade.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the timeline is for delivering (1) the new primary oracy framework, and (2) the combined secondary oracy, writing and reading framework.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department welcomes the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s focus on oracy. Expressing oneself fluently and communicating well is crucial for life and work, and an important vehicle for social justice.
We will make sure that communication skills are more clearly expressed through revised programmes of study. We will also create a primary oracy framework and a combined secondary oracy, writing and reading framework to be published following the revised national curriculum.
The primary oracy framework will support teachers to help their pupils become confident, fluent speakers by the end of key stage 2. This will build on our primary frameworks for reading and writing.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to tackle the impact of low levels of literacy on the economy through interventions in early years education.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department recognises a strong foundation in early language, reading and writing is crucial for children to achieve and thrive.
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Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that children in poverty receive early years support.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government’s Plan for Change commits to giving children the best start in life. From age 2, children from low-income families, those with education, health and care plans, and looked-after children are eligible for 15 hours of funded early education. Disadvantaged children may also receive the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), which supports high quality early education. In December 2024, EYPP funding was increased by 45%.
As part of the Opportunity Mission, £37 million has been awarded to 300 primary schools to create or expand nurseries, opening from September 2025.
From September 2026, all pupils in school-based settings whose families receive Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals. This will benefit over 500,000 children, lift 100,000 out of poverty, and support families ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy.
Additionally, £126 million will be invested in 2025/26 to expand the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. Already, 75 local authorities have opened over 400 family hubs in some of the country’s most deprived areas.