§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action the Government have taken to promote amateur swimming. [82899]
§ Mr. BanksThis Government place great importance on amateur swimming, both as an elite sport and as a form of exercise which should be available to all. That is why swimming is a statutory element of the primary National Curriculum, giving all young people the opportunity to learn to enjoy it. Sport England has a facilities strategy in place, covering both excellence and recreational swimming; the sport has received £280,000 exchequer funding for 1999–2000; and has been awarded £184 million Lottery funding to date, which is more than for any other single sport. In addition, between January and September of this year, £2 million of Lottery funds have been allocated to top individual British swimmers under the World Class Performance Programme, and £750,000 towards excellence in disabled swimming, which is laying the foundations for future British success.