§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he has made for finding a new sponsor for the Rugby League Challenge Cup. [52718]
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§ Mr. BanksI will chair a Task Force to help all sports in receipt of tobacco sponsorship to identify alternative sponsors. The Task Force has not yet been formally constituted, although I have had an initial informal meeting with sports and business interests, and will hold a further meeting in the autumn when the current exercise to collect sponsorship information from the sports concerned should be completed.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on proposals for a national centre of excellence for Rugby League. [52604]
§ Mr. BanksDiscussions are ongoing between the Rugby Football League, the British Amateur Rugby League and the English Sports Council with a view to formulating a facilities strategy for rugby league at all levels. Fundamental to that strategy will be the identification of a national centre of excellence as a keystone to a network of local centres, and a feasibility study will shortly be launched to establish a critical path to bring the requirements of the game to fruition.