Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether staff at UK Sport were told they would be entering a period of consultation in advance of the staff and budget reductions for the 2028 Olympic Games cycle and Olympic and Paralympic athlete programmes.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
UK Sport’s change process is ongoing, but has been subject to a full and comprehensive consultation with staff.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with governing bodies of sports on the inclusion of hyperandrogenous athletes in national and international competitions.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
It is for domestic national governing bodies of individual sports to determine their own rules regarding the eligibility of athletes, including hyperandrogenous athletes, to compete in the UK.
Similarly, all sports which compete internationally must comply with their international federation rules at that level, with the rules determined by the relevant international federation.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to increase the diversity of leadership of national and international sports bodies, as announced by UK Sport on 24 June 2021; and what changes have been achieved to the membership of each governing body of sport that is in receipt of national lottery or Treasury financing since that date.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport recognises the importance of diverse leadership and works closely with our partners in the sector including our arm’s-length bodies Sport England and UK Sport, national governing bodies, and sporting organisations to tackle inequalities and prioritise diversity and inclusion at all levels of sport.
The Code for Sports Governance sets out the standards all sporting organisations must meet in return for public funding from either UK Sport or Sport England. The updated code has proved successful in setting clear expectations about good governance and diversity.
The Code has had a clear impact for funded bodies in driving greater diversity on their boards, helping female representation on the boards of partners complying with the Code rise to 44% since its introduction in 2021.
Numbers have also risen in relation to representation from people from Black, Asian and other ethnically diverse backgrounds, and from those with a declared disability, increasing respectively to 13% (from 4% in 2015) and 13% (from 3% in 2015), reflecting the progress and desire of the sector to make change.
Board composition and the wider governance of international federations is a matter for the individual organisations.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the continuing increase in child obesity through the support of sport and recreational activities.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Supporting children and young people to take part in sport and physical activity is a key Government priority, so that everyone can enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that exercise provides. We continue to work across Government and with Sport England to support children to meet the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of getting 60 active minutes a day, and will shortly be publishing a new Sport Strategy with the aim of increasing physical activity among young people.
An important contribution to meeting these guidelines is ensuring that children get access to good quality physical education and school sport. The Department for Education encourages all schools to deliver at least two hours of PE a week, and will shortly be publishing a revised School Sport Activity Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to announce measures in the forthcoming Sports Strategy to address some of the challenges faced by disabled people in sport, activity and employment.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to tackling barriers which prevent people with disabilities from taking part in sport and physical activity, and from enjoying the physical and mental health benefits that it provides.
HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority.
We will continue to work with our arm’s-length bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, and sector partners to encourage sport bodies to make sport more accessible.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what cross-departmental plans they have to close the gap between the level of activity of disabled people and that of non-disabled people.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to tackling barriers which prevent people with disabilities from taking part in sport and physical activity, and from enjoying the physical and mental health benefits that it provides.
HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority.
We will continue to work with our arm’s-length bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, and sector partners to encourage sport bodies to make sport more accessible.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to develop specific sport and activity action plans for disabled people as part of their work on tackling loneliness.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting people at risk of loneliness and social isolation, including people with disabilities. Having strong social relationships play an important role in our physical and mental wellbeing, and sport has an incredible ability to reach into the places we live, reduce loneliness, and build a sense of pride and belonging.
HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the International Olympic Committee’s position that (1) no international sports events should be organised or supported by an International Federation of Sport or National Olympic Committee in Russia or Belarus, (2) no flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries can be displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue, and (3) no Russian and Belarussian Government or State official should be invited to or accredited for any international sports event or meeting.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Vladimir Putin should not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine. The UK has built and led the international response in this area, including convening three collective statements signed by more than 35 countries. Amongst other principles, our statements also set out that Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to host, bid for, or be awarded any international sporting events; the use of official state Russian and Belarusian flags, emblems and anthems should be prohibited; and no athletes or officials representing the Russian and Belarusian states should be allowed to participate in international sport.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the British Olympic Association about the possibility of British athletes boycotting the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
We are currently engaged with other countries in our ‘like-minded’ coalition regarding the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations to International Federations, published on 28 March, on neutrality conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Athlete participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a matter for the British Olympic and British Paralympic Associations, which operate independently of the Government. The Government’s long-standing position is that a boycott would wrongly deny British athletes the chance to reach the pinnacle of their careers.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN General Assembly resolution A/77/L.28 that major sports events “should be organised in the spirit of peace” and that “the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected”.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The UK attaches great importance to the principles of the UN Charter, including not to use force against the territorial integrity of other states. These principles must be defended. We agree on the importance of sports events for improving international relations, and have set out our position about when events are used to try to legitimise conflicts.