HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc491-2W
Ms Keeble

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what support her Department is providing for children's sporting activities in Northampton; [185789]

(2) what support her Department has provided in 2003–04 for children's sport in the East Midlands. [185790]

Mr. Caborn

The Government are investing more than £1 billion to transform physical education (PE), school sport, and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Education and Skills, to increase the percentage of 5–16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Spearheading delivery are School Sport Partnerships, which provide for groups of schools to work together to increase sports opportunities for all young people. Each partnership receives formula funding of up to £270,000 per annum. Information regarding School Sport Partnerships going live in the East Midlands and Northampton is as follows:

East Midlands Of which: in Northampton
April 2003 12 2
September 2003 4 1
September 2004 15 3

All maintained schools in the East Midlands will be in a partnership from September 2006.

The East Midlands region is receiving nearly £40 million through the Big Lottery Fund's New Opportunities in PE and Sport programme, over £5 million of which is going to Northamptonshire. This funding will help improve sports facilities on school sites.

Children and young people in the East Midlands are also benefiting from national initiatives such as the Community Club Development Fund (promoting Club Development with an emphasis on participation by young people), Sporting Playgrounds (improving primary school playgrounds in 27 local education authorities including Nottingham), and Positive Activities for Young People (aimed at 8–19 year olds at risk of social exclusion).