Asked by: Lord Smith of Leigh (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support the establishment of a National Museum of Rugby League in the Northern Powerhouse area.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
There are a number of independent sporting museums in the UK based on individual sports including rowing, tennis and Rugby Union. Arts Council England supports a Subject Specialist Network for sporting museums that promotes and shares best practice and expertise in the field. There are currently no plans to fund a National Museum of Rugby League in the Northern Powerhouse area, however this Department is investing in the game of Rugby League, through the £17.5m that that Rugby League will receive from Sport England between 2013 and 2017 and the £100k support for a bid for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup; announced in the Budget.