§ Mr. Denis MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria will be used to select the next group of Sport Action Zones; and how many will be designated in the next(a) 12 and (b) 24 months. [6299]
§ Mr. CabornSport England has decided that the remaining 18 Sport Action Zones will be designated following a bidding process which it proposes to launch in January next year. The bidding process will focus on the top 20 per cent. of deprived areas in the country and the criteria to be taken into account in assessing the applications will relate to the degree of socio-economic deprivation; the scope for working with other partners and initiatives in the area; and the level of sporting need and deprivation. It is anticipated that each region will have at least one zone and a maximum of five. Sport England expects to announce its decisions in October 2002.