Hugh wins review of barmy govt rules

HUGH ROBERTSON OBTAINS CLIMBDOWN FROM MINISTER OVER SWIMMING POOL BAN

Hugh Robertson the newly appointed Shadow Minister for Sport, today obtained a guarantee from his opposite number, Richard Caborn, to review the government recommendation to ban parents from taking more than two children into a public swimming pool at any one time. The ban was the subject of publicity in the summer at Maidstone and Faversham Pools over the cases of Carolyn Warner and Amanda Horsfall Turner and the 'Right to Swim'.

The ban came about as a result of the recommendation of two government bodies; the Health and Safety Executive and the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management. In the summer campaign, Hugh had opposed the ban on four grounds:-

1. The new regulation came into effect on 1 May 2004 so could not have been worse timed to coincide with the start of summer.

2. It deprived young families of valuable bonding time together.

3. It discriminated against families with more than two children under the age of eight.

4. It ran totally counter to the Government's public announcements about encouraging more children to take exercise.

Hugh raised the issue in his first outing as Shadow Minister for Sport at DCMS questions. He has followed it up with a personal letter to the Minister. A text of the relevant Hansard is attached.

Hugh Robertson said: "I have always thought that this ban is a perfect example of beaurocracy gone mad. It is quite wrong that families with more than two children under the age of eight should be discriminated against and banned from public pools.

"I am delighted that the Minister has undertaken to review the decision and I will certainly keep up the pressure."