§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role of sport in regeneration, with specific reference to rural areas. [14845]
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§ Mr. CabornThe Government fully recognise the important role that sport can play in the regeneration of both urban and rural areas and in addressing a whole range of social issues such as better health, reduced crime and social inclusion. Both the report of Policy Action Team 10 and the Government's Plan for Sport highlight how sport can be used to tackle neighbourhood renewal, social exclusion and community development. Among the initiatives included in the plan are the creation of the Community Sport Alliance which brings together key stakeholders of all levels to identify the key challenges facing sport in the community; the promotion of sport in regional policy making through contributions to the work of regional agencies such as the Regional Cultural Consortiums; and ensuring that equity principles are at the heart of all the Government's and Sport England's policies for the promotion and development of sport. In particular the Policy Directions issued to Sport England in respect of the distribution of the Lottery Sports Fund require it, in deciding applications for funding, to have regard to the scope for reducing economic and social deprivation, the need to promote access to sport for people from all sections of society and the need to further the objectives of sustainable development taking into account social and community progress and employment opportunities created by sports projects. Sport England has also introduced a number of other specific initiatives aimed at the regeneration of deprived areas including Sport Action Zones, one of which is Cornwall, its Priority Areas Initiative and the establishment of a Regeneration Policy Advisory Group.