§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DETR and DfEE regarding the sale of school playing fields in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [95210]
§ Kate HoeyMy right hon. Friend and I are in regular contact with Ministerial colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department for Education and Employment on a wide range of issues of mutual interest including the important issue of protecting school playing fields. My right hon. Friend launched National School Grounds Week in June this year jointly with DETR and DfEE colleagues, at which the Government also announced details of the new764W procedural guidance on disposal of school playing fields. This builds on last year's DETR Direction requiring local authorities to refer the planning applications for the development of local authority owned playing fields and those currently used, or used in the past five years by schools, to which Sport England object.