Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Women’s and Girls’ Sport: Greater Manchester

Thursday 27 November 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Mrs Elsie Blundell questioned the need for facilities and infrastructure to support women and girls in sport, highlighting the importance of talent development.
  • Mr Louie French inquired about the Labour Government's plans concerning the protection of playing fields from development, citing Sport England's role in promoting grassroots sports.
  • Mr Louie French raised concerns about the impact of recent Budget choices on the regulated gambling sector's sponsorship of British sports, including grassroots programmes.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Elsie Blundell Lab Heywood and Middleton North
Culture, Media & Sport Women & Equalities
Context

Elsie Blundell highlights the growing prominence of women's and girls' sports and the need for facilities to support their participation.

Question

I am delighted to see sport for women and girls growing in prominence and recognition across the country. To ensure that we meet the ambition of women and girls in these spaces, we need the facilities and infrastructure to support them, hone their talent, and pave the way for the next generation. What steps are being taken by this Government to provide women and girls with access to high-quality sports facilities, including in my area of Greater Manchester?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)

We support all aspects of sport for women and girls, and we are working alongside the sport sector and local leaders to develop a place-based approach to funding. We launched our women’s sport taskforce to drive a decade of change in women’s sport. We will ensure that we deliver facilities that each area needs, so that women and girls can participate in sport in Greater Manchester and across the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on funding or steps being taken in Greater Manchester.

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Q2 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Community Security Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Louie French refers to a consultation being carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding protections for playing fields.

Question

Sport England’s role as a statutory planning consultee promotes participation in grassroot sports, including by girls and women, by protecting vital playing fields across the country from development, including in Greater Manchester. However, this Labour Government are aiming to bulldoze protections, and concrete over grassroots provisions for young people. How will removing the protections in place for playing fields help to improve participation by girls in grassroots sport?

Answer from Stephanie Peacock

The hon. Gentleman refers to a consultation being carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and I have spoken to my ministerial counterpart. I remind the hon. Gentleman that it is this Government who have announced £400 million for grassroots facilities.

Not addressed: Changed subject to funding announcement instead of addressing how removing protections would improve participation by girls in sports.

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Q3 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Louie French discusses the impact of a Labour government's £1 billion tax raid on gambling, which could fuel illegal black market activities.

Question

Alongside the National Lottery, the regulated gambling sector provides more than £400 million of crucial sponsorship to British sports, whether that is horseracing, the Betfred Super League, Sky Bet EFL, William Hill’s sponsorship of Scottish football, or direct funding for grassroots programmes. After Labour’s short-sighted £1 billion tax raid yesterday, which will fuel the illegal black market, will the Minister tell the House how her Department will fill the black hole in funding for British sports, and say what impact assessment it has made on that and on job losses across the sector?

Answer from Stephanie Peacock

The Chancellor set out the Budget yesterday. We believe that we have made fair choices. The Minister responsible for gambling will have heard the hon. Gentleman’s question, and I will relay it to her.

Not addressed: Did not provide specifics on how the black hole in funding would be addressed or impact assessment details.

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