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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with relevant football bodies to help increase British Asian representation in football (a) on and (b) off the pitch.

We welcome the football industry’s ongoing commitment to provide fair opportunities for all. Since the publication of the independent Fan-Led Review in November 2021, the football leagues and the sport’s national governing body, the Football Association (FA), have introduced enhanced equality requirements for football clubs. It is ultimately for the FA to decide on the specific aims and appropriate initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport.

The Code for Sports Governance sets out the standards all sporting organisations must meet in return for public funding from either UK Sport or Sport England. Sports organisations at Tier 3 of the Code, which includes the FA, are required to agree a diversity and inclusion action plan (DIAP) with Sport England and/or UK Sport, which will be published and updated annually.

The Government acknowledges that there is still more progress to be made and will continue to work with the leagues, the FA, and other organisations on this.