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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to help prevent premiership rugby clubs from closure due to the financial impact of covid-19.

Sport clubs are a vital part of our local communities and culture, which is why the government stepped in to provide significant financial support to them during the pandemic.

This support included the £600m Sport Survival Package (SSP), set up to provide direct financial support to sports reliant on spectators and impacted by the pandemic restrictions. £124m of this funding was provided to Premiership rugby clubs, who were the largest recipients of SSP funding.

DCMS continues to work closely with all SSP loan recipients, including rugby clubs, as well as Premiership Rugby and Rugby Football Union to understand the current situation and ensure a positive outcome for the sport.