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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) mass participation sporting events and (b) spectator sports can function effectively after the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses in this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.

The Government is keen to ensure mass participation sporting events and spectator sports can function effectively once the covid-19 outbreak has subsided. We are engaging regularly across the sector, including working with competition organisers, to understand how sports are planning to return and the circumstances in which they foresee it may be possible for events to go ahead. But we have been clear throughout that this can only happen when it is safe to do so and in line with the public health guidance of at the time.

Advice on sporting events has at all times been in accordance with the latest scientific and medical advice. The Government has been taking a clear, phased approach to tackling the virus, led by our medical experts and our absolute priority is to protect people's health. However the situation continues to evolve and we will update guidance as the medical advice changes.