Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Game On: Community and school sport

Status: Open Opened: 28 Nov 2024 33 recommendations 16 conclusions 1 report

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to examine the health of sport in local communities and schools and whether more can be done to sustain and grow sporting opportunities for all. The inquiry will look at the funding available for sport in the community, how volunteers can be better supported and how to open … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report - Game On: Community and school sport HC 593 20 Apr 2026 49 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

6 items
2 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

We recognise the pressures on the public finances.

We recognise the pressures on the public finances. Investing in sport, however, by creating a more active population, will eventually lead to significant savings, particularly in the health and welfare budgets. We recommend that the Government increase the 0.3% (£3.8 billion) share of total government expenditure on sport and recreation … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the importance of sustained investment by outlining various significant funding commitments, but did not commit to increasing the percentage share of total government expenditure to the recommended 0.6%.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
25 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

We recommend that the Government require schools to have a policy to give every child...

We recommend that the Government require schools to have a policy to give every child the opportunity to achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. We further recommend that the Government set clear expectations for activity to be woven into the school day, through short movement breaks, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the important role schools can play in helping children be active and will continue to support them in creating active environments, but does not commit to requiring a specific policy or setting clear expectations.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
33 Conclusion 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

Joining a sports club, community walking club or a leisure centre is a wonderful way...

Joining a sports club, community walking club or a leisure centre is a wonderful way to meet new people in the community and to make connections. When local people come together through sport and physical activity, further benefits follow, from increased spending in nearby businesses to improved understanding between communities … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government recognises the critical role of sport and physical activity in improving wellbeing, boosting social connection, and bringing communities together.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
36 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

We recommend that the Government review the impact of the place‑ based funding model annually,...

We recommend that the Government review the impact of the place‑ based funding model annually, publishing metrics to ensure that ‘doubly‑ disadvantaged’ neighbourhoods are being fully included in the process. (Recommendation, Paragraph 117)

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the importance of targeting disadvantaged areas, stating DCMS has published guidance and is working with Sport England to prioritize high-need areas, but did not commit to an annual review or publishing specific metrics on funding impact.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
43 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

We recognise the importance of providing safe environments for everyone attending sports clubs or activity...

We recognise the importance of providing safe environments for everyone attending sports clubs or activity groups and would not want to advocate for anything that would compromise this. However, we call on the Government to be mindful of the added burden on volunteers that legislative changes can cause. (Conclusion, Paragraph … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the recognition of volunteers and agrees to streamline administration, detailing ongoing work with Sport England, CIMSPA, and ODI to develop an open data standard for volunteering and a new national workforce register.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
49 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Acknowledged

We recommend that the Government establish a time‑limited, cross‑ departmental working group with a clearly...

We recommend that the Government establish a time‑limited, cross‑ departmental working group with a clearly defined set of objectives and a formal methodology for measuring progress and outputs to support the delivery of the strategy. This group should be chaired at senior ministerial level to ensure authority and accountability, and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the need for collaboration and stated its intention to set measurable objectives through a National Plan for Physical Activity, but did not commit to establishing the specific cross-departmental working group recommended.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
16 Jul 2025 Adam Conant · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Catherine McKinnell MP · Department for Education, Matthew Hopkinson · Department for Education, Stephanie Peacock MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport View ↗
3 Jun 2025 Councillor Peter Mason · Local Government Association, Huw Edwards · UKactive, Robert Sullivan · Football Foundation, Tim Hollingsworth OBE · Sport England View ↗
22 Apr 2025 Jon Cockcroft · Bowls England, Jordan Letts · Northampton Saints Foundation, Kate Stephens · Chance to Shine, Paige Cronje · SportCheer England, Scott Lloyd · Lawn Tennis Association, Stewart Kellett · Basketball England View ↗
25 Mar 2025 Andy Taylor · Active Partnerships, Anna Scott-Marshall · ParalympicsGB, Emily Robinson · London Sport, Lisa Wainwright MBE · Sport and Recreation Alliance, Mark Lawrie · StreetGames, Sarah Kaye · Sported, Stephanie Hilborne OBE · Women in Sport View ↗
25 Feb 2025 Ali Oliver MBE · Youth Sport Trust, Alistair Patrick-Heselton, Anna Hopkin MBE, Montell Douglas View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Adam Conant · Deputy Director, Head of Sport Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Ali Oliver MBE · Chief Executive Youth Sport Trust 1
Alistair Patrick-Heselton 1
Andy Taylor · Chief Executive Active Partnerships 1
Anna Hopkin MBE 1
Anna Scott-Marshall · Director of Communications & Social Impact ParalympicsGB 1
Catherine McKinnell MP · Minister for School Standards Department for Education 1
Councillor Peter Mason · Leader, London Borough of Ealing Local Government Association 1
Emily Robinson · Chief Executive London Sport 1
Huw Edwards · Chief Executive UKactive 1
Jon Cockcroft · Chief Executive Bowls England 1
Jordan Letts · Chief Executive Northampton Saints Foundation 1
Kate Stephens · Chief Executive Chance to Shine 1
Lisa Wainwright MBE · Chief Executive Sport and Recreation Alliance 1
Mark Lawrie · Chief Executive StreetGames 1
Matthew Hopkinson · Deputy Director, Life Skills Division Department for Education 1
Montell Douglas 1
Paige Cronje · Board Director SportCheer England 1
Robert Sullivan · Chief Executive Football Foundation 1
Sarah Kaye · Chief Executive Sported 1
Scott Lloyd · Chief Executive Lawn Tennis Association 1
Stephanie Hilborne OBE · Chief Executive Women in Sport 1
Stephanie Peacock MP · Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Stewart Kellett · Chief Executive Basketball England 1
Tim Hollingsworth OBE · Chief Executive Sport England 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
3 Jun 2026 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, rel…
8 Jul 2025 To cttee Letter from Huw Edwards, Chief Executive, ukactive, regarding oral evidence fol…
1 Jul 2025 To cttee Letter from Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive, Sport England, regarding oral e…
17 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive, Football Foundation, regarding or…
17 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and …