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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 lockdown announced in January 2021 on women’s elite level football.

I have regular discussions with the Football Association about the impact of COVID-19 on elite level football, including on women's elite football. Last year we also put in place an exemption for elite sport to continue behind closed doors has allowed elite level women’s football competitions like the Women’s Super League to continue.

Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many women’s sport clubs have benefited from. The £300m Sports Winter Survival Package also aims to protect the immediate futures of major spectator sports in England over the winter period, including women’s football.