§ 2. Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome)What specialist sports facilities are available in the south-west of England for young people of exceptional ability. [144779]
§ The Minister for Sport (Kate Hoey)The facilities available to young people with exceptional ability in the south-west of England include access to 11 specialist sports colleges and the United Kingdom Sports Institute facilities at the universities of Bath and Exeter and the Weymouth and Portland sailing academy.
§ Mr. HeathShould we not be doing a great deal more for the sports stars of the future? Is there not a case for a little more joined-up Government thinking about the matter? Should we think not only of the very good sports facilities available in the universities, as the hon. Lady said, but of those in private schools and in Ministry of Defence facilities in the south-west? Should we not make a concerted effort to make those excellent facilities available to the widest range of local education authority students who might benefit from them?
§ Kate HoeyThe hon. Gentleman makes a good point. The Ministry of Defence has a number of very good facilities. I had a meeting last year with Captain Robinson from the Ministry of Defence, to discuss the use of its land and facilities. Clearly, there is a balance to be struck, but the hon. Gentleman is right. We are speaking to Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Defence. If the hon. Gentleman watches this space, he may well see an announcement about our working more closely with the independent sector. I had an interesting visit to Millfield, where there are some tremendous facilities. Some of them are open to local people, but we can do more. Joined-up thinking is indeed part of the Government's approach.