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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to prioritise the safety of women and girls in grassroots sport.

The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport, including women and girls, is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm.

The This Girl Can campaign, run by our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, includes the campaign strand “#LetsLiftTheCurfew”, referring to the safety fears that cause a drop-off in women enjoying outdoor exercise during the darker winter months. This Girl Can has also partnered with ukactive and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to provide resources and training to help leisure and fitness facilities ensure their spaces are safe and inclusive for all women.