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Women’s Rugby: Government Support
13 October 2020
Lead MP
Rosie Winterton
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
Culture, Media & Sport
Other Contributors: 2
At a Glance
Rosie Winterton raised concerns about women’s rugby: government support in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The debate focused on the need for government support to enhance women’s rugby in Wales and the UK. Rosie Winterton highlighted her personal experience playing women's rugby and emphasised its transformative lifelong rewards beyond health and fitness, including confidence building and community engagement. She also noted that while men's rugby has 28 full-time contracts offered by England since January last year, Welsh Rugby Union recently announced a plan to make the Welsh women’s team semi or fully professional in the future. The speech touched upon practical barriers such as lack of nearby clubs, travel issues, and limited facilities. Winterton also mentioned that during the lockdown due to coronavirus, 42% of women reported a drop in activity levels compared with 35% of men. She stressed the importance of visibility provided by events like the Tokyo Olympics and The Hundred cricket competition for women's sports.
Fay Jones
Lab
Dewsbury
Welcomed Winterton’s speech about women’s rugby, wishing the Minister a happy birthday and congratulating Ulster Rugby on putting women’s game on par with men's.
Craig Williams
Lab
Preseli Pembrokeshire
Discussed the financial challenges faced by women’s rugby due to reduced revenue from lack of fans returning, and the need for continued funding for women's sports.
Government Response
The Minister thanked Rosie Winterton for securing the debate. He emphasised the importance of women’s rugby in enhancing self-esteem, resilience, empowerment, and fun play. Highlighting the success of Welsh women's rugby and the Red Roses winning numerous championships, Huddleston acknowledged the challenges posed by the pandemic but welcomed recent sponsorship deals and investment from Allianz Insurance to grow women’s rugby. He assured that he is personally committed to helping women's sport recover stronger post-crisis. The minister also highlighted initiatives such as Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign and noted a 17% year-on-year growth in female participation in rugby, reaching over 40,000 registered players now compared with just 13,000 in 2012. Huddleston concluded by acknowledging the challenges but expressing dedication to continuing support for women's rugby.
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Assessment & feedback
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About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.