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 help ensure children from deprived backgrounds can participate in sport.

The Government believes that every child - no matter their background or ability - should have the opportunity to play sport and be physically active.

We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.

The Government has also committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities which will ensure that children and young people have access to high-quality, inclusive facilities, no matter where they live.