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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the £8.14 million grassroots sports facilities fund on access to sport in deprived communities.

The Government’s announcement of £8.14m investment in Scotland in 2026/27, via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, will encourage more people to be active by delivering high-quality grassroots sports facilities.

This funding is designed to benefit areas most in need, based on deprivation and inactivity rates, with 50% of investment being allocated to the 30% most deprived areas in Scotland. Additionally, at least 40% of projects will have a multi-sport offer, allowing more people to participate in a broader range of sports.

The programme also aims to increase participation levels for women and girls in Scotland and across the UK, through ensuring priority use slots for women and girls teams. Projects funded through the programme include new and upgraded changing pavilions, which create more appropriate facilities for women and girls.

The Secretary of State and I recently visited facilities in East Kilbride and The Spartans FC where we saw the impact of this investment.