Recommendation 2

HM Government Accepted

The Government agrees with the committee that it is important to encourage children and young people to engage in regular physical activity and intends to look further at this in our refreshed sport strategy. We’ve seen in recent months in Tokyo how major sporting events can inspire the nation. Finishing 2nd and 4th in the medal tables at both Games is a major achievement which should not be underestimated. This country consistently punches well above its weight as a sporting nation. The athletes are inspirations to those young people starting out on their own sporting pathways and the Government is supportive of all Olympians and Parlympians getting out into schools to inspire the next generation. National Fitness Day 4 Government Response to Committee’s Fourth Report on the 22nd September also provides a clear opportunity to encourage young people to engage with physical activity and sport support the country to build back better following the pandemic. The Government published the latest UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines in September 2019 which set out a clear recommendation that children and young people should engage in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day across the week. The Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have the best opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity. Our Sporting Future strategy sets out how important it is for all children to have a good experience of sport and physical activity while they are young. Sport England has invested over £190 million into physical activity for children and young people over 2016–2021, including programmes such as the £40 million Families Fund, which encourages low-income families with children to do sport and physical activity together. Initiatives such as the Studio You video platform, funded by Sport England and powered by This Girl Can, are also encouraging more teenage girls to be active. The Government’s School Sport and Activity Action Plan was jointly published by the Department for Education, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Department for Health and Social Care in July 2019. A key driver of this Action Plan is to ensure that all children and young people have access to at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This is supported by £320 million per year through the Primary PE and sport premium. More recently, in 2021 the Government has hosted roundtables on how to take support for young people even further. The Government has also committed to updating the Government sport strategy and the School Sport and Activity Action Plan in the coming months. Continuing to enable children and young people to engage in physical activity will be central to this work.