§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that public bodies which distribute funds to the governing bodies of sporting organisations which cover a number of separate disciplines should treat each discipline separately, especially where one or more of the disciplines is significantly more prosperous and appealing to spectators. [HL1013]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe delivery of the Government's financial support to sport and active178WA recreation is primarily channelled through the sports councils, Sport England and UK Sport, which are both sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and through the Sports Councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are sponsored by the Home Departments of the Scottish Executive and National Assemblies of Wales and Northern Ireland. The councils in turn dispense these funds according to their own individual policies and priorities to many governing bodies of sport and a number of other representative bodies.
Applications for support from both the Exchequer and from the lottery are carefully considered by the sports councils on a case by case basis. Where an application is received from a governing body which covers a number of different disciplines, the sports councils give consideration to treating disciplines within the same sport (or under the jurisdiction of the one governing body) differently.
As part of the application process, one of the criteria the sports councils will consider is the wealth and financial position of the sport, and the capabilities of different disciplines within a sport to raise revenue based upon profile and opportunity.