Written question asked by Doug Henderson (Labour) on Thursday, 25 March 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 April 2004. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 19 April 2004 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of sports and physical activity-based interventions in community cohesion and regeneration.

Answer: Mr. Doug Henderson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of sports and physical activity-based interventions in community cohesion and regeneration. [164687] Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made an independent assessment but relies on the monitoring and evaluation carried out by lead Departments. Health The Department of Health guidance is that adults participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five times a week. Reaching this outcome will contribute to reducing health inequalities. Community Safety The Youth Justice Board has analysed the lives of young offenders in the communities where they live. They recommend an increase in interventions that `demand healthy standards and the use of social and reasoning skills, provide opportunities for involvement, due praise and recognition'. The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit supports sports projects that meet these conditions. Community Cohesion The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has worked with the Home Office Community Cohesion Cultural Practitioners Panel to understand the skills and competencies needed for sports workers who need to promote cohesion as part of their job.

Secondary information