Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to expand access to swimming in rural areas.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to swimming facilities, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities across the country.

While the ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, the Government has also committed £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.