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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with sporting bodies on strengthening (a) welfare and (b) safeguarding arrangements for women in non-professional sport in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport, including women and girls, is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm.

Sport England and UK Sport (DCMS’s Arm’s Length Bodies for sport) also require National Governing Bodies to implement safeguarding policies and practices as a condition of public funding at grassroots and elite level, respectively. DCMS officials regularly meet with both organisations to discuss issues and ongoing work in this area.

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.