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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking with the football authorities to support (a) ex-professional players impacted by football-related dementia and (b) their families.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount.

National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports, and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. The Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association launched the Football Brain Health Fund for players impacted by dementia in September 2023 to assist former players and their families impacted by neurodegenerative conditions.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety with the football authorities in the coming months to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.