Game On: MPs call for new focus and funding to get nation moving more

• Community and school sport report highlights financial pressures, limited facilities and lack of prioritisation in curriculum
• Calls for cross-government strategy and increase in funding to boost participation
• Report concludes that rewards outweigh investment through savings to health and welfare budget

A renewed commitment to PE in schools, ending the 3pm Saturday blackout for women's football and the removal of unnecessary ‘No Ball Games' signs are among the recommendations in a new report from MPs aimed at getting people to move more.

The calls for action are included in the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's wide-ranging Game On report, after a more than year-long inquiry discovered a patchy picture of how well community and school sport is meeting the needs of people in England.

The report outlines how strong demand, committed volunteers and successful local initiatives exist alongside persistent financial pressures, limited facilities and a lack of prioritisation in the school curriculum.

Calling for a decisive national commitment to stable funding, better facilities and a cross-government strategy to deliver a healthier nation, the Committee argues that investing in sport delivers social and economic benefits that will lead to significant savings in the health and welfare budgets.

With the UK lagging behind the average of other European countries, the report recommends that the Government increases the 0.3% share of total government expenditure on sport and recreation to at least 0.6% over the next ten years.

On top of pressing for a new approach by Government and an increase in spending, the report makes a series of practical recommendations aimed at increasing participation and boosting activity levels for people of all ages.

One of the key focusses of the report is helping people who might previously have felt excluded access the benefits of sport and physical activity.

Schools should be required and supported to deliver a more inclusive PE curriculum that prioritises enjoyment, comfort and a welcoming environment for all pupils, the Committee says.

Witnesses to the inquiry emphasised the importance of activities that attracted pupils who might not engage with mainstream team sports, with SportCheer England highlighting how cheerleading was “unique in capturing and retaining participation from girls and young women at an age when they are traditionally dropping out of sport”.

The report also stresses the role of social prescribing in connecting people with activities and communities that support physical and mental well-being. It recommends that sport and physical activity should be integrated more firmly into preventative health policy with activities such as bowls and walking sports signposted by social prescribing.

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said:

“We're a country of sport lovers when it comes to supporting our stars at home and abroad, but there are too many barriers stopping people from getting up and giving it a go themselves at school and clubs in our communities. What we need is a national shift in the way we think about sport and a commitment at all levels to deliver a healthy and more active nation.

While the Government has a major part to play in coordinating policy and committing to spending, our report sets out steps big and small, from ensuring access to for people of all ages to sports like bowls, pickleball and padel through social prescribing to waging a war on No Ball Games signs, that could make a genuine difference to participation.

Cheerleading is a prime example of an activity that can engage young people, particularly teenage girls, who might have previously thought sport was for others. Schools need to make sure they offer activities like this that provide something different, alongside traditional team sports. Boosting the visibility of strong role models for girls is also key to inspiring activity, so giving women's football a prime Saturday afternoon TV slot could have a transformative effect.

Taking part in sport isn't just for those aspiring to be the next Joe Root or Lucy Bronze. Everyone deserves the chance to feel the upsides of being more active. The evidence of the benefits to both our health and wellbeing and to the economy are unmistakable. What we need now is a big effort to ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction to get the nation moving.”

The Committee's call for the exemption of the women's game from the long-standing restrictions on broadcasting football in the 3pm Saturday slot, follows evidence that shows that when women's sport is broadcast, girls are more likely to feel inspired and motivated to be active.

The Committee is also calling for the Government to legislate to require councils and housing associations to remove unnecessary “No Ball Games” signs, to reclaim public spaces for play.

In schools, the Committee says pupils should take part in a minimum of two hours of high-quality PE each week, with every child having the chance to be physically active for at least an hour a day. Currently too many children are going without the health, wellbeing and learning benefits that regular activity provides.

Teachers should also be better trained in PE, and kit and uniform policies should prioritise comfort, inclusivity and dignity, something that would particularly help girls and children with SEND take part in sport, the report adds.

Further recommendations include those aimed at lightening the administrative burden on volunteers and introducing greater planning protections for playing fields and sporting facilities.

A full list of conclusions and recommendation is on page 51 of the report.