Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase participation in cricket in state schools.

The physical education (PE) national curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities, are physically active for sustained periods of time and lead healthy and active lives.

State schools are free to organise and deliver a diverse and challenging PE curriculum that suits the needs of all their pupils. Cricket is specifically listed as an example of a sport that can provide important elements of the PE national curriculum programme of study in key stages 2 to 4.

The recently announced School Sport and Activity Action Plan includes additional support for schools to open their facilities over the holidays and after hours to encourage every child to find a sport they love. The government will update the action plan in the light of the outcome of the forthcoming Spending Review and will work with sports governing bodies, including the England and Wales Cricket Board, in developing the proposals.

Through the Essential Life Skills fund, the department has recently provided £75,000 to the national cricket charity, Chance to Shine, to deliver extra-curricular sport to young people in Stoke-on-Trent, one of the department’s 12 Opportunity Areas. In addition, Sport England supports children and young people in England by ensuring that there is a good sports and activity offer before and after the school day. This includes investing £28 million into Satellite Clubs between 2017 and 2021, some of which are cricket clubs.