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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report entitled, The Importance of Pools Post-lockdown, published by Swim England.

I recognise the impact that COVID-19 has had on the sport and physical activity sector. Sports and physical activity facilities including swimming pools play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

The Government is committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so and I welcome the work Swim England are doing with the sector to produce guidance on the re-opening of swimming pools. As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, we will be guided by the science to ensure that as restrictions are eased people can return to activity safely.