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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots football in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme has received a total of £1,194,497 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Staffordshire has received a total of £4,508,388 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

We are now working closely with the sport sector stakeholders, including the Football Foundation, and local leaders to develop plans for funding for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs. We will keep stakeholders and the wider sport sector updated as this work progresses, and we will announce plans once they have been fully developed.