(9 years, 7 months ago)
Commons Chamber12. What steps he is taking to support outdoor recreation.
Via Sport England, we invest nearly £70 million each year in outdoor sporting activities, and through VisitEngland and VisitBritain we will be promoting visits to the great outdoors through our “Countryside is Great” campaign.
Given the importance of tackling the increasing challenge of physical inactivity and given the potential of tourism in rural communities, does my hon. Friend agree that this is a good time to consider establishing a national strategy for outdoor recreation to sit alongside the Government’s successful sports strategy, to get more people active outdoors?
I agree absolutely with my hon. Friend that outdoor recreation is fantastic for our country, and we very much appreciate the work he does in promoting the benefits. I have had several meetings across Government on this issue, and I am engaging with the sector more widely. I will present more on this vision soon, and will be happy to update him in due course.