Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cuts to funding for PE and sports in schools on children's health and activity levels.

We are investing over £1 billion for PE and school sport over three years. This includes £580 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network alongside investment in facilities which schools have been calling for and transitional support for primary schools.

Despite over a decade of PE and sport premium funding, less than half of children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of 60 active minutes a day, with persistent inequalities among groups including girls and those from disadvantaged and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

The Network will combine both a universal offer to all primary and secondary schools, plus targeted direct support for those schools and pupils who will benefit from it the most. This includes coaching, swimming provision and support to open facilities, as well as stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. Schools will also receive funding to test and share effective practice, alongside more accessible programmes from National Governing Bodies and clearer pathways into community sport. Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils. Provision will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments led by a national delivery partner.

A National Delivery Partner will be appointed through a fair, open process, with detailed design confirmed through the procurement, but the approach will focus on supporting those most in need.