Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Danny Chambers and Lisa Nandy

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

My hon. Friend makes a very compelling case. While I do not wish to pre-empt any imminent announcement, I will just say that the Government really recognise the need to support communities with the funding pressures that lidos face, including energy costs, and we will have more to say about that shortly.

[Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)]

There is a very passionate group of people in Winchester who have long campaigned for a lido to be built in the old leisure centre, and they are very excited that one of the proposals for the old leisure centre is a lido. Could the Minister explain what support is available for such facilities, which get people outside, exercising and being part of the community, which is good for physical and mental health?

[Lisa Nandy]

The hon. Gentleman will have heard the Minister for sport talk about the £400 million that we are putting into grassroots sports facilities, and he will also have heard my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) about a forthcoming announcement that we are planning to make specifically around lidos. I congratulate the hon. Gentleman’s community on defending, supporting and championing not just leisure facilities but lidos in particular. Most of the lidos in this country exist because of people like his constituents, who care for them and have supported them to stay open for many years. I would be very happy to visit and meet them at some point—but only on the condition that there is a woman dressed as a lobster as part of the event.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Danny Chambers and Lisa Nandy

Thursday 16th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

We have put £500 million behind the national youth strategy, and a major element of that will be to deliver the next generation of youth clubs and youth workers. Too many youth clubs exist around this country that are closed because there are not people to run them, and there are too many parts of the country where there is no facility at all. The Youth Minister is very happy to discuss that further with my hon. Friend to ensure that Dudley’s young people are well served and have the provision that they need.

[Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)]

9. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to community spaces.