Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions the Government has had with partners of the Football Foundation on that organisation's plans for a 25-year programme to deliver new astroturf and grass pitches across the country.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting grassroots football. The established partnership with the Football Association and the Premier League sees a combined £70m go to new facilities delivered by the Football Foundation. All funding parties are represented on the Football Foundation board.
Government has committed to investing a further £550m into grassroots football facilities over the next 10 years to support plans to bid for the 2030 Men’s FIFA Football World Cup.
The FA has produced, in partnership with the Premier League, Sport England and DCMS, the 'National Football Facilities Strategy' (NFSS), which is a coherent overarching shared strategy for capital investment in football over the next ten years. This sets out the football facility requirements across the country and the intention to invest in 20,000 improved grass pitches and 1,000 3G facilities.
The Foundation has coverage across the whole country with funding reaching 98% of all local authorities and boroughs in England so far. As part of the NFFS, a 'Local Football Facilities Plan' is being produced for every Local Authority across the country to create a tailored local investment plan. This will help the Football Foundation prioritise its investment most efficiently and effectively.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what methodology the Government plans to use to assess which areas of the country would most benefit from funding in grassroots football as part of the pledge to spend £550 million revamping community football pitches.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting grassroots football. The established partnership with the Football Association and the Premier League sees a combined £70m go to new facilities delivered by the Football Foundation. All funding parties are represented on the Football Foundation board.
Government has committed to investing a further £550m into grassroots football facilities over the next 10 years to support plans to bid for the 2030 Men’s FIFA Football World Cup.
The FA has produced, in partnership with the Premier League, Sport England and DCMS, the 'National Football Facilities Strategy' (NFSS), which is a coherent overarching shared strategy for capital investment in football over the next ten years. This sets out the football facility requirements across the country and the intention to invest in 20,000 improved grass pitches and 1,000 3G facilities.
The Foundation has coverage across the whole country with funding reaching 98% of all local authorities and boroughs in England so far. As part of the NFFS, a 'Local Football Facilities Plan' is being produced for every Local Authority across the country to create a tailored local investment plan. This will help the Football Foundation prioritise its investment most efficiently and effectively.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of sporting organisations on the provision of financial support from the Government to protect sports clubs from the effect of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
I am having regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations. Sport England, the arms-length body of government responsible for growing and developing grassroots sport, have been involved in these discussions. In addition to this, my officials maintain daily contact with the sector.
The Chancellor has already announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what process the Government is using to provide sporting organisations overseeing elite sports with up to date medical advice in relation to covid-19; and what discussions the Government is having with those organisations on the medical advice they receive.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
In addition to publicly available Government advice/guidance, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is holding weekly meetings with senior medical officials and sport representatives to discuss key issues around Covid-19 and communicates regularly with stakeholders across the sporting sector to share the latest advice. We will maintain these discussions as elite sport develops its plans to retain training and to restart competition.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many rugby league clubs have (a) applied for and (b) received funding from Government backed business support loans.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government announced on 30 April that the Rugby Football League (RFL) will receive an emergency loan of £16 million to safeguard the immediate future of the sport for the communities it serves.
The Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses in this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.
Those support measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme are open to businesses across the UK and in every sector, including Sport.
In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.
The RFL is fully engaged with the process and is ensuring that the sport as a whole is aware of the assistance available and how to access support. It is a matter for individual clubs to pursue the support appropriate for their situation.
We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has assessed the health risks of (a) cricket and (b) other non-contact sports resuming in the summer at grassroots level.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is in regular contact with representatives of sports, including cricket, to discuss both the impact of Covid-19 on sports and to explore how and when grassroots sport can safely resume once lockdown restrictions start to ease. The government has asked individual sports to consider the steps that would need to be taken, and the conditions that would need to be met, for their activity to resume.
The government has been clear that any return to sport will need to be consistent with existing guidelines on public health and managed in a way that minimises risk.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many cricket clubs have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded business support grant funding from the Government during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses in this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme support measures are open to businesses across the UK and in every sector, including Sport.
In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is fully engaged with the process and is ensuring that the sport as a whole is aware of the assistance available and how to access support. It is a matter for individual clubs to pursue the support appropriate for their situation.
We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government has taken to support the sporting sector during the covid-19 emergency.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We recognise the impact that covid-19 is having on the sport sector, and we are continuing to engage with sporting organisations to understand how it is affecting them and provide support.
The Chancellor has already announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, our national sports council, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the long-term financial effects of the covid-19 outbreak on lower league football clubs.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Football clubs form an integral part of this country and it is important they are given as much support as possible during these difficult times.
In light of this, the Government announced a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support.
It is also vital that the football community comes together at this time, and I welcomed the Premier League announcement to advance funds of £125 million to the EFL and National League to help clubs throughout the football pyramid. The EFL has also announced a £50m relief fund to help their clubs enduring immediate cash flow problems because of the coronavirus crisis.
The Government will continue to liaise closely with all the football authorities to further understand the difficulties clubs are experiencing.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate the Government has made of the financial losses incurred by football clubs as a result of cancelled matches due to covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Tackling the covid-19 outbreak is the Government’s top priority, and unfortunately the actions taken to do so have meant that sports events have had to be postponed or cancelled. We are in regular contact with the sport sector - including football clubs - on the financial consequences of this for organisations.
The Government has announced a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support.
It is also vital that the football community comes together at this time, and I welcomed the Premier League announcement to advance funds of £125 million to the EFL and National League to help clubs throughout the football pyramid.