Rugby

(asked on 6th February 2020) - View Source

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of rugby league in England and Wales.


Answered by
Baroness Barran Portrait
Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This question was answered on 17th February 2020

Data from Sport England’s Active Lives Adults and Children and Young People Surveys indicates that:

  • 62,900 adults aged 16+ in England took part in rugby league twice a month over the May 2018 to May 2019 period.
  • 684,500 children and young people in England in school years 1-11 took part in a form of rugby at least once a week over the 2018-19 academic year.

Through Sport England, since 2017, government has to date invested nearly £11m in grassroots rugby league, including investment in the Rugby Football League Ltd, together with investment in specific community rugby league projects.

Over this time period, Sport England has invested a further £9.1m in multi-sport projects where rugby league is one of the sports benefitting.

The government is investing up to £15m towards the hosting of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, and up to £10m in grassroots facilities to help drive a legacy from the event.

Sport is a devolved matter and Sport Wales has responsibility for supporting grassroots rugby league in Wales.

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