§ Mr. Brandon-Bravoasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Sports Council's grant in aid for 1984–85.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneSubject to parliamentary approval of the Estimates, the Sports Council's grant-in-aid for 1984–85 will be £29.359 million, which represents yet another significant increase.
The level of grant-in-aid, which has risen from £15.58 million in 1979, reflects the Government's clear 786W perception of the continuing and growing importance of sport and recreation in today's society. Of particular significance is the provision of facilities for family and community use, and the Sports Council's policy of spending a high proportion of its grant on community facilities is whole-heartedly supported by the Government.
The grant includes £500,000 specifically for Merseyside, bringing the total provision for this purpose over three years to £2.5 million.