Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Lloyd Excerpts

Thursday 3rd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

6. What discussions he has had with the Football Association on ensuring that all Football League stadiums have adequate access and facilities for disabled spectators.

[Stephen Lloyd (Eastbourne) (LD)]

17. What discussions he has had with the Football Association on ensuring that all Football League stadiums have adequate access and facilities for disabled spectators.

--- Later in debate ---

[Hugh Robertson]

I am very happy to acknowledge the campaign in the way that the hon. Gentleman asks. If he would allow me, I would rather those young people met the Football League first. If he has any difficulty in fixing that meeting, I would be happy to do that. If there are any issues that cannot be resolved or that arise out of that meeting, I will of course be happy to meet them in due course.

[Stephen Lloyd]

I thank the Minister for his answer. The Liberal Democrats and, in particular, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr Foster), have been campaigning on this issue tirelessly. A large proportion of the 30,000 disabled supporters who regularly attend matches in England still encounter a range of problems related to access, so I would be grateful if the Minister could outline what additional spend may be possible in the next year or so in support of the Trailblazers campaign.

[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.