School Sports Funding

Andrew Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 30th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD)]

My hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Bob Russell) feels as strongly as I do that we need to find a way forward, which is why he was concerned about the polarisation of this debate. I would have no difficulty in attacking the previous Labour Government if I wanted to enter into such a debate. I would point out that, for several years, they failed to protect smaller playing fields after they had promised to do so; that, under them, obesity increased; that, when they claimed a wonderful participation level of two hours of sport a week, they failed to mention that that included changing time; that, under them, participation in recent years hardly increased and that, sadly, the participation of women and disabled people has fallen; and that they made little or no dent in the drop-off in sports among people who had left school. That is what I would say if I wanted to be negative.

[Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Foster]

I will give way to the right hon. Gentleman before I talk about the positives.

[Mr Smith]

While the hon. Gentleman is not being polarising, and in the spirit of consensus that he says he espouses, does he agree that it would make sense for the coalition Government to respond positively to the constructive offer that my right hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) made? Common cause can be made and we can find a way to save the essential infrastructure for the invaluable work that those partnerships—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. Interventions must be very short. The right hon. Gentleman should know better; he has been here long enough.