Oral Answers to Questions

Aphra Brandreth Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray]

I do not know whether that was a question to me or a challenge to the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford), who asked the original question. The Government are fully committed to funding the creative industries wherever they are across the country. The Prime Minister has challenged all of us in the Government to create growth in every postcode, but in order to do so we need creativity in every postcode, because we know that there is talent everywhere, but not opportunity.

[Aphra Brandreth (Chester South and Eddisbury) (Con)]

3. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of facilities for girls’ grassroots sports.

[The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

This Government are more committed than ever to championing women’s sport and inspiring girls to get involved. One of the great pleasures I have had in recent years is being presented with the challenge of a whole generation of girls coming forward to play sports such as football and rugby, inspired by the stunning success of the Lionesses and the Red Roses. That is why we have removed many of the restrictions on what grassroots facilities we are prepared to fund. The one restriction we have put in place is that women and girls must have equal access to priority slots when we invest in grassroots sports facilities. I would be delighted to discuss with the hon. Member what more we can do.

[Aphra Brandreth]

At Westminster Park in my constituency, girls want to play football and cricket, but there is nowhere suitable for them to change. For the Leopards, Westminster Park’s girls football team, that becomes a real barrier as the girls get older and move up to the adult pitches. Councillor Razia Daniels and I have been campaigning with local residents to get better facilities, and the council has commissioned a feasibility study, but it has no capital budget for this, and without proper funding the girls risk another season without being able to play. I would like to take up the Secretary of State’s offer, so will she meet me to discuss how we can work with the Department to ensure that the council, the Football Foundation and Sport England secure the funding so that no more girls miss out?