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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Football Association about the number of black football managers.

We are in regular dialogue with the Football Association (FA) across a range of matters, including diversity. I welcome the FA’s recent announcement of a new voluntary code for Equality in Football Leadership, which aims to champion equality in football and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.

The government is committed to working with sports to ensure opportunities to progress are open to all, from athletes to administrators, to board members. As an example of this, on 11 June 2020 the Minister for Sport announced a review of the Code for Sports Governance. The Code sets out the levels of transparency, accountability and financial integrity required from those who ask for government and National Lottery funding. It currently says that organisations must show a "strong and public commitment" to progressing ethnic diversity. However, it is right to review this to ensure that opportunities to progress are open to all. Government will be working with UK Sport and Sport England to set new expectations and ensure the sport sector leads by example.