HC Deb 13 March 1969 vol 779 c1551
24. Mr. Charles Morrison

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish a report on the work of the Sports Council.

Mr. Denis Howell

The Sports Council intends to publish a further report in the summer.

Mr. Morrison

I welcome that announcement, but is it not intended that this should be an annual event, since I have no doubt that it would be much appreciated if a report were published annually by the Sports Council?

Mr. Howell

The Council itself decided that annual reports are usually fated to go into the waste-paper basket very early and that it would be much better to set a new example and publish reports when it had something substantial to say. It is now issuing its second report, two years after its first.

Mr. Rose

Would my hon. Friend also ensure that the work of the regional sports councils is included in this report? Would he confer with the Leader of the House to ensure that after four years we have a debate on sport and the Sports Council?

Mr. Howell

No one would welcome a debate on sport more than I, having been four years with this responsibility and unable to tell the House what I have been up to. I can assure my hon. Friend that there will be an appendix dealing with each region specifically.