Oral Answers to Questions

Richard Graham Excerpts

Wednesday 13th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Richard Graham (Gloucester) (Con)]

Q6. Millions of people around the UK and Europe have been inspired by the brilliance of Six Nations rugby. Premier league clubs like Gloucester Rugby, which were funded during the pandemic through loans authorised by the Prime Minister, the then Chancellor, have always been grateful for being kept solvent, but he will know that some clubs’ finances are fragile, and that the current loan repayment schemes could be crippling. Will he ask the Sports Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew), and the Treasury to try to find a solution, so that taxpayers’ interests are protected, and all of us can go on being inspired by top-class rugby for years to come?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we stepped in with a £150 million financial lifeline to ensure the survival of premiership rugby league clubs during the pandemic. I am told that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with Sport England, as the agent, to talk to borrowers with concerns about their loan agreements—any that have concerns should contact Sport England in the normal way. I can also proudly tell him that we are talking to the Rugby Football Union and the premiership league to secure the future not just of rugby union, but of his local Gloucester rugby.