Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Stephanie Peacock]

The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union, which is independent of Government, but the Government monitor the financial situation of rugby union closely. The DCMS continues to work with the RFU and I am happy to discuss that further with the hon. Gentleman.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

T5. AFC Bournemouth has just said goodbye to Antoine Semenyo. He has been a superstar on the pitch and a gentleman off it, taking out a full-page ad in the Bournemouth Daily Echo to thank fans for the memories as, sadly, he left for Manchester City. Bournemouth need more players like him, and that means getting kids off their phones and outdoors, which is why I back raising the minimum social media age to 16. It also means supporting play spaces, youth centres and grassroots football facilities for clubs like Boscombe Albion, Kings Park Dynamos, Queens Park Ladies and Generation Elite. What are the Department doing to support our young kids?

[Lisa Nandy]

I thank my hon. Friend for that moving tribute and I think the whole House will support those words. He is right to underline the importance of that support, and that is why we are working across Government, using the national youth strategy, the Pride in Place impact funds and other funds that are designed to be led and driven from the grassroots up to ensure that every community gets the facilities that they need.