Swimming: Children

(asked on 20th November 2023) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the availability of swimming (a) pools and (b) lessons for children.


Answered by
Stuart Andrew Portrait
Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This question was answered on 27th November 2023

Responsibility for public access to and maintenance of swimming pools lies at local authority level.

In recognition of the benefits of physical activity, including swimming, and the challenges facing the sector, we are providing over £60 million of support for swimming pools. This will help ease cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers and help make facilities sustainable in the long-term through investment in energy efficiency measures. The funding is being delivered in partnership with Sport England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, following extensive consultation with local authorities and the sector.

Swimming and water safety is a vital life skill, which is why it is a mandatory part of the primary PE National Curriculum. The Department for Education also administers schemes to ensure the provision of lessons and sports facilities for children, such as through the PE and Sport Premium and the Opening School Facilities (OSF) programme.

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