Access to Sports Facilities

Order. The hon. Lady is testing the Chair by sitting in a part of the Chamber where she does not normally sit.

I thought I would sit where the Chamber looks really packed. [Laughter.]

The Government understand the importance of high-quality grassroots sports facilities in helping people to be active, which is why we are committing £400 million to improving facilities over the next four years. We are investing £98 million this year through the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme, which includes removing barriers to participation for women and girls, people with disabilities and those from ethnic minority communities.

Durham United football club kicked off this season in the northern league. It is the first time in decades that the city has had a men’s team playing at this level, yet they do not have a permanent ground. At the same time, local authorities are finding it harder and harder to maintain their playing pitch stock to a reasonable standard, meaning that high-quality pitches are harder to access despite more football being played than ever. What can the Minister do to encourage local authorities to transfer these assets into the hands of well-established grassroots clubs, such as Durham United, to give them security and access to larger grants, thereby improving the maintenance of these vital community assets?