Oral Answers to Questions

Caroline Dinenage Excerpts

Thursday 13th September 2012 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State for Culture Olympics, Media and Sport was asked—

[Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)]

1. What progress she has made in encouraging more children to take part in competitive sport.

[The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Hugh Robertson)]

Before answering, may I record the congratulations of the whole House to everybody involved in London 2012?

[Hugh Robertson]

Wait a moment—the hon. Gentleman is being slightly tedious. I congratulate in particular the athletes of Team GB and ParalympicsGB. Moreover, I would particularly like to record, on behalf of everybody, our congratulations to the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Dame Tessa Jowell) on her contribution to the project over many years. I also congratulate—I know that this will please you, Mr Speaker —Andy Murray on his win in New York on Monday.

Through the school games, we are encouraging all schools to offer their pupils the chance to play more competitive sport. More than 14,000 schools have so far signed up to participate and, in addition, 1,600 of our best young athletes had the chance to compete in and around the Olympic park in the inaugural national finals in May. The national governing bodies of sports will use the inspiration of the London 2012 games to encourage more young people to take up their sport. One example is hockey’s “Give it a Go” scheme, which has now attracted more than 20,000 people at more than 600 sites across the country.

[Caroline Dinenage]

I echo the Minister’s words: the Paralympics and the Olympic games showcased all that is great about this country.

On building the fantastic Olympians and Paralympians of the future, it is vital to invest in the infrastructure, skills and facilities that our young people need, particularly in schools. What are the Government doing to that end?

[Hugh Robertson]

Two things in particular. The new youth sports strategy, which has been announced and the figures for which will be announced in December, will involve an investment over the next four years to encourage sport governing bodies to make those precise investments. Separately, the Places People Play programme has now invested in improving more than 700 facilities up and down the country.