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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of ethnic minority cricket officials in (a) England and (b) Wales.

The national governing body for cricket, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) assesses trends in representation in the sport. This includes the level of representation of African, Caribbean and Asian coaches, umpires and match officials. The Department does not have these figures.

The ECB have acknowledged there remains an under-representation of Black or South Asian heritage officials despite an increase in the proportion of umpires from ethnically diverse backgrounds on the National Panel last year. Following an independent Officiating Review in 2021, the ECB have committed to four ambitions focusing on equity of opportunity, inspiring the next generation, developing a diverse network that reflects society and promoting a culture of inclusivity and fairness.

We welcome the ECB’s promise to take meaningful action, including the creation of a diverse Officiating Oversight Panel, which met in October 2021, to challenge and question all decisions relating to selection, appointments, practices and processes across the department. They have also developed a targeted coaching and mentoring programme that focuses on supporting aspiring umpires from diverse backgrounds.

The updated Code for Sports Governance requires sports organisations that receive significant public funding, including the ECB, to agree a diversity and inclusion action plan with Sport England and/or UK Sport, which will be published and updated annually. The Government and our arm’s length bodies will continue to monitor and liaise with the cricket authorities on improving diversity and inclusion at all levels.