Robertson: Government has abysmally failed to increase mass participation in sport

In response to a survey published today that suggests that half the population of England don't take part in sport or active recreation, Shadow Minister for Sport, Hugh Robertson said:

In response to a survey published today that suggests that half the population of England don’t take part in sport or active recreation, Shadow Minister for Sport, Hugh Robertson said:

“Sport England's Active People Survey tells us what we all know already - namely that the Government’s record on encouraging people to take exercise is extremely poor.

“Two things need to be done to correct this. Firstly, Sport England, which is the Government quango responsible for mass participation, needs urgent reform. It has become a Labour Party propaganda machine and by the evidence of its own survey has abysmally failed to increase mass participation in sport.

“Secondly, the Government needs to correct the cuts they have imposed on National Lottery funding going into sport. In 1998, sport received £397m compared to the £264m it receives now and this has played a key part in the disappointing results we see today.”