ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPORTS COUNCIL (Hansard, 3 February 1965)

§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TECHNOLOGY (LORD SNOW)
My Lords, I regret having to make a further interruption in this valuable and interesting debate, but I have to make a Statement similar to that which has just been made by my honourable friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Department of Education and Science, Mr. Denis Howell, about the establishment of a Sports Council.
The Government have decided to establish a Sports Council, to advise them on matters relating to the development of amateur sport and physical recreation services and to foster co-operation among the statutory authorities and voluntary organisations. It is the intention that, in his capacity as the Minister with a responsibility for sport, my honourable friend should be the Chairman of the Council.
The Prime Minister has issued invitations to the following to become members of the Council and there is every reason to believe that they will indicate their willingness to serve:

Lady Burton of Coventry,

Kathleen Holt,

David Bacon,

Dr. Roger Bannister,

Ian Black,

Sir Learie Constantine,
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John Disley,

Bernard Donoughue,

Michael Dower,

George Edwards,

Dr. Stewart Mackintosh,

David Munrow,

Lord Porchester,

Clive Rowlands,

Dan Smith,

Sir John Lang, Principal Adviser on Sport, who will be Deputy Chairman.
The Director of the Council will be Mr. Walter Winterbottom, and my honourable friend is grateful to the Central Council of Physical Recreation for releasing him for this important new post.
Particular subjects which it is intended that the Council should advise on are: Standards of provision of sports facilities for the community. Collation of information about the position in other countries. Surveys of resources and regional planning. Co-ordination of the use of community resources. Research. Development of training and coaching. Likely capital expenditure. Participation in sporting events overseas by British amateur teams. Priorities in sports development. The Government expect that all bodies who have responsibility for sport and physical recreation and receive grant aid from official sources will collaborate with the Council.

§ LORD ABERDARE
My Lords, we are grateful to the noble Lord for repeating the Statement made in another place on the establishment of a Sports Council. We are very anxious, as noble Lords opposite are, to see every possible development in sports and sports facilities, and we shall watch with great interest to see how this Council develops and what practical contribution it makes to the development of sport.
May I ask the noble Lord three fairly simple questions? I think it is quite clear from the statement that this Council is purely advisory. Would he therefore confirm that it has no executive powers; it has no money to allocate to sport; and that the establishment of this Council does not mean that any more money is available for sport. In the second place, 1182 the particular subjects on which it has to advise will entail a certain amount of background research: what staff will this Council have? Will it have its own staff, or will it depend on the Civil Service staff? In the third place, could I ask him whether the reports of this Council will be published?

§ LORD SNOW
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for those kind words. If, as a result of this activity, we produce anyone as good at games as he is, we shall have done pretty well. The answer to the first question is, Yes. This Council is an advisory council. On the other hand, the noble Lord will have noticed that my honourable friend is acting as Chairman, and when a Minister acts as Chairman you can usually make an advisory council do something more than give advice. At least you can see that some of that advice is acted upon. The answer to the second question is that there will be a secretariat—small, but, we hope, efficient. The answer to the third question is that I cannot say positively. The problem has not been raised, but I should guess that the answer is again, Yes.

LORD REA
My Lords, may I just welcome from these Benches the Statement the Minister has made, and say how pleased we are that this is going ahead. There are, of course, a great many of these organisations—almost a proliferation—and it is rather a relief to see that there is going to be some coordinating body, and that on that body we have the honour of two Members of your Lordships' House serving. I hope that this Committee may possibly be enlarged by co-operation, and if there are any further Members from your Lordships' House we shall always be glad to see the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare, and the noble Marquess, Lord Exeter, taking their part in it. I am glad that the Minister has said that it will be more than a purely advisory body, and that it may be able to influence the interests of sport through the normal "corridors of power".

§ LORD COLWYN
My Lords, I am surprised that Sir Stanley Matthews, who was given a knighthood as being one of the greatest footballers in this country, is not on that list.