§ 22. Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that those primary schools with poor sports facilities will be made a priority for investment under the space for sport and arts scheme. [141895]
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§ Kate HoeyOne of the key objectives for the space for sport and arts scheme is to create new, and modernise existing, sports and arts facilities for primary schools where existing facilities are poor, inadequate or simply do not exist. The prospectus sent to 65 local education authorities in early October highlighted this objective, and this key message was further re-enforced during a series of regional workshops held with the LEAs in October and November. Sport England received outline proposals from the LEAs last week and these are currently being assessed against a number of criteria, including the condition of existing facilities. We will announce in January details of projects which have been given, in principle, support.
§ 23. Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has made to Sport England to amend the 40 hour rule governing the grant of lottery funds to primary schools for sports development involving local communities. [141896]
§ Kate HoeySport England has already reviewed the way in which it assesses Lottery applications under its School Community Sports Initiative. As a result Sport England no longer has a specific requirement that school facilities must be available for 40 hours of community use per week. Rather it assesses the overall sporting benefit to the community together with any particular factors affecting the level of community use in deciding whether to award a grant. Facilities provided by primary schools under the space for sport and the arts scheme will be available to the community, but there will be no requirement for 40 hours of such use.