§ 22. Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to ensure that all schools comply with the minimum requirement of two hours physical education each week for all pupils. [132610]
§ Jacqui SmithWe have set a clear aspiration that all schools should provide two hours of physical activity a week. We are promoting this through a number of developments supported by a massive investment in sport in schools. The Prime Minister announced in September that £750 million would be invested in schools sport facilities as part of a £1 billion investment. We are working to inspire schools and partners in the sports sector to deliver the two hours aspiration through the Sports Strategy. Recent research confirms that the most popular out-of-school hours learning activity was participating in sport. This is particularly encouraging. Additionally, the Teacher Training Agency has allocated an indicative target of 399 primary PE Initial Teacher Training places to providers for the academic year 2000–01. This represents 3 per cent. of the overall primary target of 13,100 and shows a commitment to the recruitment of specialist PE teachers in primary schools.