Extract from oral
answer (Lords) on Racism in English Cricket
(Lab): My
Lords, has the Minister seen the reports that many county cricket
clubs charge huge amounts of money for young players who have
been identified as having particular skills to go into training
programmes? He will know that there is a concern at the higher
reaches of cricket that there is a dominance by pupils from
public schools. Does he not think that the ECB needs to take
action to make sure that these training programmes are open to
everyone?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ( of Whitley Bay)
(Con): The noble Lord, Lord Hunt, is right: there are many
barriers which hold people back, and the Government are working
with Sport
England and other agencies to dismantle those
barriers and make sure that everybody has the opportunity to
participate in sport, whoever they are and wherever they come
from. There is obviously work for the ECB to do, and lessons are
being learnt in Yorkshire at the moment, but the noble Lord is
right that these barriers go beyond matters of race.
(LD): My Lords,
Yorkshire has shown clearly how racism had affected cricket in
the past and, thanks to the effort of the noble Lord, , that things are now improving.
I would like to know what is being done in youth clubs and
schools to ensure that people from diverse communities are aware
that racism should not be a bar in pursuing a career in
cricket?
of Whitley Bay
(Con): Over the last four years, Sport
England’s investment in the ECB has focused on equality
and diversity, with a commitment to fund, for instance, its south
Asian action plan and its south Asian female activators project,
to give just two examples of how it is encouraging people from
different backgrounds to take their rightful places and reach
their full potential in this sport.
To read all the exchanges, CLICK HERE
Extract from
Westminster Hall debate on Women’s Football
(Batley and Spen)
(Lab):...However, I know that this positive experience is sadly
not shared by many women across the country, who face a number of
barriers to getting into sport, a lack of support once there or,
worse still, totally unacceptable discrimination, sexism and
abuse. I am keen to use my role in Parliament to be an advocate
for all women who face such challenges, which is why I was keen
to take part in the debate. I recently with Sport
England to discuss women in sport, and just this
week I spoke to Sam Keighley, strategic director of the Yorkshire
Sport Foundation, who gave me a comprehensive overview of the
issues faced by women when playing, spectating, refereeing and
coaching football. Sadly, there are too many to mention, but I
will share some of the highlights, or should I say lowlights,
with hon. Members...
To read the whole debate, CLICK HERE
