Oral Answers to Questions

Gerry Sutcliffe Excerpts

Thursday 3rd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

Directly, Sport England has earmarked £8 million of lottery funding for disabled sport issues, but there is an opening at the moment in a way that there possibly has not been before. As a result of the Select Committee’s report on football governance, the football authorities are consulting on a range of licences that will govern the running of the leagues. This is an extremely good moment for the hon. Gentleman and others interested in this campaign to feed into that process and make recommendations.

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

But the Minister will know that this is long overdue; as the previous sports Minister, I tried, as he has done, to push the FA into making sure that access was available. Is this not about the role of the FA too? Can he update us on its reorganisation?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes, of course I can. I pay tribute to the work that the hon. Gentleman did on this during his time in office. As a result of the Select Committee report, we produced a response in September. That has set a straightforward deadline to the three football bodies—the FA, the Football League and the Premier League—to come back to us with firm proposals to address the three central tenets of that report: the FA board, the licence, and the link with the councils. I expect that work to be completed by the end of February.

[Hugh Robertson]

I hope that I am not traducing him but I think the current chairman of the FA was the chairman of the National Association of Disabled Supporters beforehand.

[Mr Sutcliffe]

indicated assent.

[Hugh Robertson]

The former sports Minister nods. There is therefore somebody at the head of the FA who understands this agenda. As I said in answer to an earlier question, there is an opportunity now with the new licensing system, and I will certainly encourage the FA to take every available step.