Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of places in swimming lessons for (a) adults and (b) children in (i) Canterbury constituency and (b) Kent.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor pools. Swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy as well as being a crucial life skill in terms of water safety.

The Government has provided a range of support for swimming pools during the pandemic. The £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country. Local Authorities in Kent were awarded £2,855,093 through the National Leisure Recovery Fund, of which £374,030 was awarded to Canterbury City Council. Sport England has awarded over £166,000 for specific investments in swimming in Kent since 2012.