Sports: Coronavirus

(asked on 19th February 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing under 18 sports clubs to resume at the same time as schools are allowed to reopen as covid-19 restrictions are eased.


Answered by
Nigel Huddleston Portrait
Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 1st March 2021

Sports and physical activity providers and facilities are at the heart of our communities, and play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active. That’s why we have continued to make sure that people can exercise throughout the national restrictions and why we have ensured that grassroots and children’s sport is front of the queue when easing those restrictions.

On Monday 22 February, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England. The government has introduced a step approach to the return of outdoor and indoor sport areas across England. This is a cautious and gradual approach, led by data, not dates.

From 8 March, sport can take place in school for all children, or as part of wraparound activities if children are attending in order to enable their parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care, or attend a support group.

Any organised outdoor sport (for children or adults) can restart on 29 March, and indoor sport for under 18s outside of school can restart from Step 2 which will take place no earlier than 12 April. This will be subject to social contact limits.

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