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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the cost to local authorities for providing indoor leisure facilities during the winter of 2022–23.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor leisure facilities. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support indoor and outdoor facilities.

The Government also recognises the impact rising energy prices will have on organisations of all sizes, including on providers of indoor leisure facilities. In September the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including leisure facilities) will be offered support.

After an initial 6 months of the scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for vulnerable industries. There will be a review in 3 months' time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.

The Government invested £100 million in the National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority leisure centres and facilities throughout the country after the pandemic.