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 to encourage girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to take up cricket.

The Government is committed to supporting women's sport at every opportunity including pushing for greater participation.

There has been real progress in the number of women and girls taking up cricket in recent years, and wider developments in the women’s game, as noted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report. Initiatives like Chance to Shine, which receives funding from Sport England, play an important role in that. The project is focussed in areas with a lack of accessible clubs and green spaces making cricket accessible to young people throughout the country. More widely, Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has already inspired millions of women and girls to get active regardless of shape, size and ability.

However, we recognise that there is more to do. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report notes that while progress has been made in the women’s game, there are still areas for concern. Clearly the sport needs to reflect carefully on these findings and consider how best to deliver clear and sustained cultural change across cricket. The Government will review the findings of the report and we welcome the ECB’s commitment to bring forward a plan to tackle these serious issues, which must be addressed fully.