Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support professional rugby clubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.
The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.
I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department is providing for rural rugby clubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Our arm’s length body, Sport England, is providing long-term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby participation. The RFU, as the National Governing Body for rugby union, is responsible for decisions on how and where to target that investment into rugby union clubs.
Grassroots participation issues were discussed with the RFU at a recent event to celebrate sport held at Number 10, and the Government continues to engage with key stakeholders such as the RFU to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or where they live, has the opportunity to play sport and get physically active.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of participation levels in grassroots rugby.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Our arm’s length body, Sport England, is providing long-term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby participation. The RFU, as the National Governing Body for rugby union, is responsible for decisions on how and where to target that investment into rugby union clubs.
Grassroots participation issues were discussed with the RFU at a recent event to celebrate sport held at Number 10, and the Government continues to engage with key stakeholders such as the RFU to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or where they live, has the opportunity to play sport and get physically active.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the Rugby Football Union on grassroots rugby.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Our arm’s length body, Sport England, is providing long-term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby participation. The RFU, as the National Governing Body for rugby union, is responsible for decisions on how and where to target that investment into rugby union clubs.
Grassroots participation issues were discussed with the RFU at a recent event to celebrate sport held at Number 10, and the Government continues to engage with key stakeholders such as the RFU to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or where they live, has the opportunity to play sport and get physically active.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of rugby community foundations on public health.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the role rugby community foundations play in promoting physical and mental well-being, raising aspirations, and building stronger, more cohesive communities.
While professional rugby community foundations operate as independent charitable arms of their clubs, we monitor the financial health of rugby union closely and engage regularly with the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and grassroots rugby union. Through public bodies such as Sport England, we continue to invest in grassroots and community sport programmes that align with our national priorities on health, education, and community development.
Sport England provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Football Union between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby union.
Sport England’s Movement Fund also offers grants between £500 - £15,000 to support projects that support getting more people active, which includes rugby community outreach programmes.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support professional rugby community foundations.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the role rugby community foundations play in promoting physical and mental well-being, raising aspirations, and building stronger, more cohesive communities.
While professional rugby community foundations operate as independent charitable arms of their clubs, we monitor the financial health of rugby union closely and engage regularly with the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and grassroots rugby union. Through public bodies such as Sport England, we continue to invest in grassroots and community sport programmes that align with our national priorities on health, education, and community development.
Sport England provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Football Union between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby union.
Sport England’s Movement Fund also offers grants between £500 - £15,000 to support projects that support getting more people active, which includes rugby community outreach programmes.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available for rugby community outreach programmes.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the role rugby community foundations play in promoting physical and mental well-being, raising aspirations, and building stronger, more cohesive communities.
While professional rugby community foundations operate as independent charitable arms of their clubs, we monitor the financial health of rugby union closely and engage regularly with the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and grassroots rugby union. Through public bodies such as Sport England, we continue to invest in grassroots and community sport programmes that align with our national priorities on health, education, and community development.
Sport England provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Football Union between 2022 and 2029 to support grassroots rugby union.
Sport England’s Movement Fund also offers grants between £500 - £15,000 to support projects that support getting more people active, which includes rugby community outreach programmes.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that all major trauma hospitals have access to 24-hour helipad facilities.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Hospital helipads play an important role in supporting the transfer of critically ill patients and access to specialist services. Responsibility for the provision and management of hospital helipads rests with local National Health Service organisations, working with relevant planning, aviation, and local authority bodies. Decisions on investment in hospital helicopter landing sites, including any upgrades required to support night-time operations, are primarily a matter for local NHS organisations. Organisations may consider such improvements as part of their wider estate planning and capital investment priorities, subject to the availability of funding and any relevant local planning, environmental, and operational requirements.
The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with NHS Trusts on improving access to helipads for emergency air ambulance services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Hospital helipads play an important role in supporting the transfer of critically ill patients and access to specialist services. Responsibility for the provision and management of hospital helipads rests with local National Health Service organisations, working with relevant planning, aviation, and local authority bodies. Decisions on investment in hospital helicopter landing sites, including any upgrades required to support night-time operations, are primarily a matter for local NHS organisations. Organisations may consider such improvements as part of their wider estate planning and capital investment priorities, subject to the availability of funding and any relevant local planning, environmental, and operational requirements.
The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of helipad accessibility on patient outcomes in air ambulance transfers.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While no specific assessment on the potential impact of helipad accessibility on patient outcomes has been carried out centrally, the National Health Service is extremely grateful for the vital contribution air ambulances make to patient care and outcomes.
The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider and monitor issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience. Responsibility for the provision and operation of hospital helicopter landing sites rests with local NHS organisations.