HC Deb 05 June 1985 vol 80 cc161-2W
Mr. Dicks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, over the past five years, how much Government support has been provided and on what basis for (a) horse racing and (b) association football.

Mr. Macfarlane

The Government have provided no financial support for horse racing over the past 5 years.

The available figures on the Sports Council's grant aid for association football over the period are set out in the following table:

£
1980–81
Current grants to the governing bodies 35,862
The Football and the Community Scheme 188,075
1981–82
Current grants to the governing bodies 28,075
The Football and the Community Scheme 230,045
1982–83
Current grants to the governing bodies 22,291
384,625
The Football and the Community Scheme (estimate)
1983–84
Current grants to the governing bodies 24,323
Capital grants to the governing bodies 199,819
The Football and the Community Scheme 130,175
1984–85
Current grants to the governing bodies 26,268
Capital grants to the governing bodies 251,885

The governing bodies of association football will also have received grants for capital works prior to 1983–84. Up until that year, however, the Sports Council did not keep records on capital grants paid to individual sports.