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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Gov.uk page Coronavirus (COVID-19): Organised events guidance for local authorities, what the basis is for the decision to prohibit the attendance of spectators at grassroots and amateur sports games during Step 2 of the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Sports and physical activity are crucial for our mental and physical health.

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.

Outdoor grassroots sport and outdoor organised team and sports participation events have been allowed to resume from Step 1b (29 March), but spectators are not permitted at sporting events taking place on private land at Step 1b, with the exception of adults only where they are needed to supervise under-18s that they have a responsibility for or providing care or assistance to a person with disabilities participating in an organised sporting event or activity. These adults should maintain social distance and not mix with other households.

This does not prevent people from viewing recreational or organised sport that is taking place in a public space (e.g. a park) at Step 1b or Step 2 (12 April), in groups of up to 6 people or 2 households. However, sporting events that are intended to attract spectators (including ticketed events), or events that are likely to attract a significant number of spectators (e.g. a major marathon), should not take place in a public space, or on private land, until Step 3 (no earlier than 17 May).