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 adequacy of the availability of changing and bathroom facilities for women at grassroots sporting venues.

We are dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.

Karen Carney OBE’s Review of Women’s Football included a recommendation on meaningful access to facilities. I recently met Karen to discuss implementation of her review which is relevant across women’s sport. I am clear that action is needed to drive all of the recommendations outlined in the Review. I look forward to convening the Implementation Group for Women’s Football before the end of this year to understand progress following Karen’s Review.

The Football Foundation, the charity funded by the Government, the Football Association and the Premier League, has committed to implementing recommendations from an independent review to ensure new minimum standards for women and girls at funded sites. This includes guaranteeing a share of priority slots to women’s and girls’ teams, setting up a new small grants programme, specifically targeted at creating female-friendly facilities off the pitch, and ensuring refreshed Local Football Facility Plans reflect the growth in women and girls' football.

Sport England’s ‘Accessible and Inclusive Sports Facilities’ guidance also supports grassroots sporting venues to provide well designed spaces for female users.