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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with (a) governing bodies and (b) other stakeholders to help promote rugby in Northern Ireland.

The Government is committed to promoting sport at all levels across all the Home Nations. With that being said, sport is a devolved policy area. The Department for Communities and Sport Northern Ireland are responsible for sports policy, including rugby, in Northern Ireland, along with the national governing body the Irish Rugby Football Union.

We work closely with our colleagues in the Home Nations, including through the Sport Cabinet which brings together the Sports Ministers of the four UK home countries to help improve coordinations and the sharing of best practice among each of the devolved administrations and the UK Government.