HC Deb 24 June 2002 vol 387 cc602-3
9. Caroline Flint (Don Valley)

If she will make a statement on the use of public parks as a location for open access sports activity. [61225]

The Minister for Sport (Mr. Richard Caborn)

Public parks provide an excellent environment for both formal and informal sport and recreation.

We recognise the broad range of benefits to be gained from open spaces in terms of health, education and many other parts of our lives. We therefore want to ensure that they are preserved and indeed upgraded, especially for people living in urban areas.

Caroline Flint

Venus and. Serena Williams learned tennis on the public courts in their neighbourhood. Given the world of leisure in which we live, I suggest that our parks will be in decline unless we do something. Has the Department taken account of the fact that many parks run by local authorities have no access to funds such as those available to private sports clubs, schools and other bodies mentioned today in answers to questions?

Mr. Caborn

That is why the urban White Paper considered the whole question of open spaces. Following the report of the working party on green spaces and sustainable communities, we will incorporate its proposals in the development of sports facilities. I hope they will be reflected in planning policy statement 17, and that there will be a firm link with the £500 million invested in localities through the new opportunities fund. Although it has been given to local education authorities, a precondition of its release is that the facilities it will provide are used by the community.

Mr. Mark Field (Cities of London and Westminster)

As the right hon. Gentleman may know, the royal parks will remain part of his Department's responsibility for a few more months. Will he try to ensure that the interests of local people are put first when it comes to use of the royal parks, particularly Hyde park, for the increasingly large number of sporting and other events that have beset that public asset in recent years?

Mr. Caborn

The royal parks have been used by the public, demonstrably, during the recent jubilee celebrations. Musical events have taken place there. I will, however, reflect on what the hon. Gentleman has said when there are discussions about the royal parks.

Mr. Andy Reed (Loughborough)

Does my right hon. Friend agree that parks play a crucial role in ensuring that young people in particular have access to low-level, non-coaching types of physical activity—that they can simply walk to a local park and play? Is he aware that parish councils play a key role in rural and semi-rural areas such as mine, where many such facilities have declined during the past 15 or 20 years? Has he had discussions with parish councils to ensure that they can provide the money that is needed to improve the facilities enough for most people to be able to use them much more regularly?

Mr. Caborn

As I have said, a working party has just reported, and we have produced an urban White Paper. We are now trying to bring together open spaces and more formal sports facilities. The fact that they have been kept apart is a weakness in our sport and recreation infrastructure. We need a proper synergy of activity and development, and we shall bring that about in the months ahead. The first step will be the provision of PPS 17 by the Deputy Prime Minister's Department. It will give local authorities directions on planning for sports and open-space facilities.