Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial support is provided through(a) Sport England, (b) UK Sport and (c) other Government funding sources to develop football at the grassroots. [10987]
§ Mr. CabornFootball is the nation's most popular participation sport by far, and it is a priority for both the Government and Sport England to develop the sport at the grass roots. Sport England's funding for football has been channelled through the Football Foundation since July 2000. The Foundation received Lottery funding totalling £7 million from Sport England in 2000–01, and the majority of this went to funding the sport at the grass roots level. Children's and recreational football also benefits from substantial Sport England Lottery funding for multi-use capital projects, and the financial benefits to grass roots football cannot be quantified.
In addition, exchequer-funded grants from Sport England to the Football Association to fund work on grass roots development totalled £165,000 in 1998–99 and £144,000 in 1999–2000.
The primary role of UK Sport is to support elite sportsmen and women by funding the development of training and competition facilities, and the provision of high quality coaching. UK Sport does not fund grass roots development initiatives in any sport.