Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of users of (a) 5-A-Side and 7-A-Side football pitches and (b) all outdoor sports facilities during red weather warnings for heat.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety and wellbeing of everyone participating in sport is absolutely paramount. The day-to-day management and operational safety of all outdoor sports facilities, including 5-a-side and 7-a-side football pitches, remains the legal responsibility of individual activity providers and facility operators.
To support the sector directly, our arm’s length body Sport England provides free digital toolkits and resources via Buddle, its flagship support platform for community sport. This includes tailored guidance on safety and welfare, equipping grassroots organisers and facility managers with the tools necessary to manage risks effectively during extreme heat events.