§ Lembit ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make a statement on the proposals of the Charity Commissioners to restrict eligibility for charitable status to those sports that in the opinion of the Charity Commissioners are beneficial to physical health; and what discussions her Department has had with the Charity Commissioners over the criteria they are using to determine the eligibility of different sports for charitable status; [67081]
(2) whether her Department has discussed with the Charity Commissioners the recognition for the purposes of charitable status of those sports already recognised by the Government through Sport England and Sport UK as eligible for Lottery and Exchequer funding; and if she will make a statement. [67082]
§ Mr. CabornThe Charity Commission has confirmed that no sports are excluded in principle from applying for charitable status. If a sport does not meet the criterion for healthy recreation then the Commission will consider an application on other grounds such as social inclusion or education. Full discussion on the revised guidance for charitable status and sport was carried out with the Charity Commission and representatives from sports bodies.