§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total amount of financial support given to angling(a) by his Department and (b) by the Foundation for Sport and the Arts in 1991–92 and 1992–93.
§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 26 April 1993]: Most of my Department's funding for sport is made through the Sports Council. In 1991–92 it paid grant of £71,749 to angling's governing bodies, including £20,660 to the National Angling Council, which was disbanded at the end of that year. In 1992–93 grant paid by the Sports Council to angling's remaining governing bodies was £46,800.
The Foundation for Sport and the Arts is independent of Government and its grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees. I understand that the trustees do not consider angling to be eligible for support on the ground that it is not an athletic sport.