Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Conservative) on Monday, 23 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 March 2009. It was answered by Sarah McCarthy-Fry (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Children: Exercise

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to encourage children to increase their levels of daily exercise.

Answer: The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are working together to increase the amount of physical education (PE) and sport that young people receive through the delivery of a national strategy, introduced in 2003. As a result, the percentage of five to 16-year-olds taking part in at least two hours high quality PE and sport each week has increased from 62 per cent. in 2003, to 90 per cent. in 2008.We now want to build on this and provide up to five hours of sport each week for young people. This will be made up of two hours of high quality PE within the school day for all five to 16-year-olds, and up to three further hours of sporting opportunities beyond the school day for all five to 19-year-olds.The two Departments are working closely with the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England to deliver the strategy across the network of school sport partnerships and county sport partnerships.

Secondary information