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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage sports students to continue with their sporting passions after they leave education.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and all generations and communities should be able to enjoy the health, wellbeing, social and other benefits of being active.

Since the government launched its sports strategy, Sporting Future in 2015, Sport England has allocated over £1.5 billion to nearly 5,000 grassroots organisations across the UK to support everyone to continue to participate in sport and physical activity.

The Government also funds the Diploma in Sporting Excellence, a unique qualification that allows student athletes to combine sport and education, so that they have the skills, knowledge and qualifications to pursue a dual career in high level sport alongside separate paid employment in the future.

Through this work we will continue to provide opportunities for sports students to continue with their sporting passions after they leave education.