Mr. Gareth ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to increase the number of(a) Muslim and (b) Asian people involved in (i) sport and (ii) contact sports; and if she will make a statement. [100587]
§ Mr. CabornSport England provides a range of programmes to promote accessibility to sport for marginalised groups. The monies allocated for this purpose will in future be administered in the regions which will improve the targeting of funds to where they are most needed, including to the Muslim and Asian communities where appropriate.
DCMS also part funds the initiative Sporting Equals, a collaboration of Sport England and The Commission for Racial Equality to promote racial equality in sport.
Through their policy document Game Plan, Government are concentrating efforts to lessen the barriers to participation of the most sedentary groups, and in this way will tackle sporting marginalisation in other key groups including those from ethnic minorities.