Written question asked by Nigel Evans (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 May 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 May 2006. It was answered by Richard Caborn (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 May 2006 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sport England North West

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what involvement (a) the Minister for Sport and (b) other Ministers in her Department have had with Sport England North West's pilot project to distribute funds to improve the fitness of employees.

Answer: [holding answer 8 May 2006]: The North West Sports Board has been proactive in trying to engage with the private sector in support of our drive to increase participation in sport. The North West Sports Board organised ““private sector forums”” to discuss sport and physical activity in the workplace with employers and the private sector. In order to attract some of the regions' major business leaders to the forums, I was invited to help host two of these events.The aim of the first meeting on 6 September was to address:"what would encourage the private sector to invest in sport;""the benefits to industry of a fit and healthy workforce."There was no discussion on specific programmes or initiatives, but over the following eight months, in the light of this debate, the North West Regional Sports Board devised and developed the workplace health initiative, which was launched in May 2005.I attended a further meeting of this forum on14 November 2005 where Sport England updated the guests present on the progress that had been made in this area. Ministers had no role in devising or approving the Sport England North West ““£1 million Challenge”” workplace health initiative.Decisions on regional lottery investment are taken by the Regional Sports Boards, according to identified regional priorities.

Secondary information