HC Deb 28 February 1994 vol 238 cc538-9W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage in what circumstances sports facilities are revenue funded.

Mr. Brooke

The great majority of public sports facilities are funded by local authorities. It is for them to decide what suitable revenue funding arrangements to make. My Department does not directly provide assistance for the revenue funding of any sports facilities.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what representations he has received from people in Coventry about the future and finances of building-based sports facilities;

(2) what representations he has received about the difficulties faced by sports clubs and local authorities in new capital schemes and enhancement schemes, particularly in the early years of sports facilities.

Mr. Brooke

My Department has received representations from a number of local authority associations and individual local authorities, including Coventry city council, about these matters.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the funds available to Coventry sports organisations from the West Midlands sports council in 1994–95.

Mr. Brooke

The West Midlands region sports council is negotiating its proposed grant-aid to Coventry city council for two capital and two revenue sports projects within Coventry in 1994–95.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to allow all sports facilities to be revenue funded.

Mr. Brooke

This is largely a matter for local authorities rather than central government.

The hon. Member may have in mind national lottery assistance for revenue funding. The draft directions I issued on 18 February set out the circumstances under which maintenance costs of capital projects might be assisted by revenue grants paid for out of lottery proceeds.