New Lords Sport and Recreation Committee to open inquiry with evidence from top government officials

The Committee are exploring how as a nation we can encourage more citizens to live active lifestyles, and will assess the coordination and delivery of sport and recreation policy across government. The inquiry comes as grassroots sport organisations face huge challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and many people continue to face barriers to participation in sport and physical activity.

The Committee’s first evidence session will start at 3:30pm on Wednesday 2 December. The session will be broadcast live at www.parliamentlive.tv

Giving evidence to the Committee will be:

• Graham Archer, Director of Children’s Social Care, Improvement and Learning, Department for Education
• Mark Davies, Director for Population Health, Department for Health and Social Care
• Ben Dean, Director for Sport and Gambling, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Areas the session will cover include:

• How do the departments work together to deliver initiatives to increase physical activity?
• Whether the 2015 Sporting Future strategy is still a priority for the government and if it has lost momentum?
• With the imminent abolition of Public Health England, who will take on its role in promoting activity and reducing obesity?
• The impact of the School Sport and Activity Action Plan and Sport Premium on improving access to sports in schools.
• What more can be done to increase participation in sport amongst under-represented groups including women and girls, ethnic minorities, disabled people, older people and those from less affluent backgrounds?
• What the government is doing to tackle racism, homophobia, misogyny and transphobia in sport, at all levels?

Notes to Editors

1. The Committee will publish its call for evidence setting out the key questions it is inviting evidence on in the coming weeks. This session will help the Committee identify the key areas to explore to deliver a more active nation.