HUGH ROBERTSON WINS AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Hugh Robertson, the MP for Faversham and Mid Kent and Shadow Sports and Olympics Spokesman, has been awarded an Australian Government Scholarship - the first British politician to receive such an award since the Prime Minister a decade ago.

The scholarship offers the recipient the opportunity to travel to Australia, as a guest of the Australian Government, for a week to study one area of government policy.

Hugh leaves today, 23 March, to study how the Australian Government integrate sport into the lives of young people and how society benefits as a result. His programme includes visits to Canberra, to meet sports policy makers, and to schools and clubs in Sydney to see how it works in practise. He will spend the week-end at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Hugh Robertson said: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Australia and study a policy area where Australia leads the world.

“Getting young people involved in sport was the key selling point of the London Olympic Bid so I hope to return with some fresh ideas as to how we can improve school and community sport here in Britain.”