HC Deb 16 March 1965 vol 708 cc251-2W
Mr. Rose

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will conduct inquiries with a view to taking steps to set up a national sports foundation for the purpose of providing a university of sport where potential top class trainers and instructors would themselves be trained.

Mr. Crosland

The training of coaches is mainly the responsibility of the governing bodies of sport. They are helped by the Central Council of Physical Recreation and the Scottish Council of Physical Recreation, which are substantially grant-aided by the Government, and which offer a service in arranging and assisting with training courses for instructors, leaders and coaches at local, regional and national level. Longer and more thorough training courses for coaches are desirable and should emerge as more full-time coaches are employed by national voluntary organisations. I envisage further development on these lines rather than a national sports foundation. This is a subject to which the Sports Council intend to give close attention.