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

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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

5 items
13 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Rejected

We recommend that a statutory duty be placed on local authorities to provide sporting and...

We recommend that a statutory duty be placed on local authorities to provide sporting and leisure facilities in their communities. We further recommend that, as part of the wider increase in spending on sport and recreation, the Government provide councils with extra capital funding sufficient to enable them to meet … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation for a statutory duty on local authorities to provide sporting facilities, stating it is unnecessary and burdensom. It highlights existing commitments of £400 million and Sport England's £250 million investment for facilities, but not tied to the duty.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
20 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Rejected

We recommend that the Government legislate to require local authorities and housing associations to remove...

We recommend that the Government legislate to require local authorities and housing associations to remove unnecessary “No Ball Games” signs, to make public spaces more usable for children’s play. (Recommendation, Paragraph 59)

Government response AI summary
The government supports the removal of unnecessary 'No Ball Games' signs but rejects legislating to require it, stating this is ultimately a decision for Local Authorities.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
26 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Rejected

We recommend that the Government make physical education a core subject within the national curriculum.

We recommend that the Government make physical education a core subject within the national curriculum. (Recommendation, Paragraph 76)

Government response AI summary
The government rejects making physical education a core subject, opting instead to focus on improving quality through curriculum reform and targeted support to avoid legislative complexity.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
37 Conclusion 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Rejected

Increasing women’s participation in sport depends not only on opportunities to play, but also on...

Increasing women’s participation in sport depends not only on opportunities to play, but also on visibility and representation. Evidence shows that when women’s sport is regularly broadcast, especially on free‑to‑air TV, girls are more likely to feel inspired and motivated to be active. A dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government explains that intervening to mandate a dedicated broadcast slot through Article 48 is technically problematic and would not benefit women's football, noting that an independent review did not recommend this approach, effectively rejecting the implied action.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
38 Recommendation 4th Report - Game On: Community and sch… Rejected

We recommend that the Government intervene in discussions between the Premier League, Women’s Professional Leagues...

We recommend that the Government intervene in discussions between the Premier League, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, English Football League and Football Association to ensure that women’s football is exempt from the restrictions on broadcasting in the 3pm on Saturday slot. (Recommendation, Paragraph 122) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government rejected the recommendation, explaining that Article 48 is an opt-in statute that NGBs can manage without government intervention, and its removal would not benefit women’s football but rather crowd the broadcast schedule further.
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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 …