School Sports Funding Debate

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Department: Department for Education

School Sports Funding

Lord Watts Excerpts
Tuesday 30th November 2010

(13 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andy Burnham Portrait Andy Burnham
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The Health Secretary was on the airwaves this morning saying that we need more sport played in schools. Well, yeah. I never agreed very much with the current Health Secretary—we had our differences—but he was right to speak up in Cabinet against the Education Secretary. He had the courage to say that. As always, we see this Secretary of State failing to carry people with his decisions. He rushes out to make a decision, but does not carry his Cabinet colleagues with him. The mismatch between what the Government are saying in the public health White Paper and what we are debating now demonstrates that.

Lord Watts Portrait Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North) (Lab)
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Is it not clear that Ministers have no idea about sport? Looking at them across the Chamber, I think it is clear that none of them has played sport. I cannot see, for example, the Secretary of State joining the boxing club.

Andy Burnham Portrait Andy Burnham
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I shall turn to that issue in a moment.