Extract from committee stage (Lords) of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill - June 29

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con):...The noble Baroness, Lady Merron, asked me to set out a bit more about the other sources of funding for community groups, youth groups, sports clubs and others which have benefited in recent years from rent, and I am happy to give her some non-exhaustive examples. Through the Youth Investment Fund, over the next three years, we will be constructing or refurbishing up to 300 youth facilities in parts of England which require levelling up, thereby extending opportunity for the next generation. To kick-start that programme, an additional £10 million will be spent this year in key levelling-up areas. In relation to sports clubs, the Government very much agree that sports and physical activity are crucial for our mental and physical health. We have provided an unprecedented £1 billion of financial support to such organisations during the pandemic. Since 2015, Sport England has allocated more than £1.5 billion to nearly 5,000 organisations across the UK. Furthermore, in the recent spending review, we announced £205 million to build or transform up to 8,000 state-of-the-art community football pitches and multi-use sports facilities across the UK. Earlier this month, we announced £30 million for PE teacher training and to open up school facilities to provide access to the wider community. That was in addition to a £30 million package to renovate 4,500 park tennis courts across the country...