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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the effects on schools of changes since 1997 in the level of investment in school sports in Preston; [168138] (2) how much money has been allocated to develop school sports in Preston since 1997. [168711] Mr. Stephen Twigg: This information is not held in the format requested. Within the context of the statutory National Curriculum, where Physical Education (PE) is compulsory for pupils aged 5-16, it is for individual schools to use their budgets as they judge appropriate. The Government are investing more than £1 billion in England to transform PE, school sport and club links. The funding will help deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target, shared with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to increase the percentage of 5-16 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006. The Department is providing just over £440,000 to support the delivery of a School Sport Partnership in Lancashire LEA area. The partnerships includes five secondary and 21 primary schools and provides enhanced sports opportunities for all young people to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and School Sport. A key objective for all School Sport Partnerships is to ensure that the improvements and enhanced opportunities that they deliver are sustainable and embedded within schools to ensure a lasting legacy. The New Opportunities Fund has provided schools in the Lancashire LEA area with nearly 12 million specifically to enhance PE and school sport facilities. Latest research, published by the Departments on 4 March 2004 shows that 68 per cent. of pupils in schools that have been in a Partnership for three years, are taking up the two hour entitlement, rising to 90 per cent. at Key Stage 3. Data has been collected from the remaining partnerships and will be published in April.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

421 c706-7W; 168138;168711

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Finance Physical education Schools Sports Preston

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk