Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support Ukraine.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In chairing the UN Security Council on 18 November, the Foreign Secretary made clear that UK support for Ukraine is ironclad. We have stepped up the delivery of vital military equipment, led the way in investing in Ukraine’s defence industrial base, and imposed major new sanctions upon Russia. As the Prime Minister has said, we must double down and give Ukraine the support it needs for as long as it needs.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of grassroots sports facilities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

This Government recognises there is still a significant need for improved grassroots facilities across the UK, which is why we confirmed our continued support at Autumn Budget.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots facilities, which is why we have invested £123 million into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme this year.

Across the UK, our approach is that investment should be targeted in order to meet local demand. In England, our delivery partner the Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline in partnership with local authorities, and are revising those plans at present.

Found: sensible approach – which has been supported by the Northeast Mayor Kim McGuinness and the Local MP Alan Strickland