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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the financial stability of Premiership rugby clubs.

The Government recognises the recent challenges faced by Rugby Union. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government went above and beyond through the Sports Survival Package to provide unprecedented levels of financial support to sports clubs, including rugby union clubs, to ensure their survival.

The Government is clear that robust governance is essential to sustainable and successful sport. The respective National Governing Body is responsible for the governance of their sport. In the case of Rugby Union, the Government is working closely with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby League (PRL).

The Government shares the concerns of fans about where the game goes next, so has appointed two expert independent advisers to work with the RFU and PRL on their plans to secure the future of professional rugby union. They will report their recommendations to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport later in the summer.