§ Mr. Simon CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on scholarship funding for élite athletes. [4693]
§ Mr. SproatThe Government are committed, as part of their overarching strategy for sport, to seeing our leading sportsmen and sportswomen compete successfully in the olympics and other international events. The launch of the world class performance programme, this month, will provide support across the United Kingdom to our most talented athletes competing up to olympic and world championship level.
Up to £35 million a year will be available through the programme. Around half of this money will go to governing bodies for technical support services, such as coaching, altitude and warm weather training; the other half will go to individual athletes to cover normal living costs, personal training and travelling costs, allocated on the basis of need. Average awards to individual athletes are expected to be around £16,000 to £17,000, but the size of the individual awards will depend on personal circumstances. In return for lottery awards the sports concerned and the athletes who benefit, will be required to make a commitment to excellence in training and competition which will be closely monitored.
The world class performance programme is the first of only four separate revenue grant programmes. The three further programmes will be designed to attract and stage major international events in the UK, to provide community coaching and leadership schemes, and to identify better and develop the talent in the country's schools and sports clubs.