Parliamentary Questions weeks 1-2 January 2005
UK Parliamentary questions on rowing, to mid-January 2005
Several questions have been put to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport concerning the sport of rowing. David Rendel MP put the questions on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Rowing Group, of which he is the Chairman. Here are the transcripts from Hansard.
Q] Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures she is taking to promote the sport of rowing.
A] Mr. Caborn: Sport England funds the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA) through both the Lottery and the Exchequer to support its development and world class plans. Since 1997, the ARA has received £15.5 million of funding. Amongst other programmes, this has allowed it to develop Project Oarsome and Go Row, both aimed at increasing junior participation. The ARA has also received an allocation of £1,216,500 from the Community Club Development Programme for distribution amongst rowing clubs. On top of this, since 1997 community rowing clubs have benefited from Sport England awards totalling £19.8 million.
In 2003 rowing was identified as one of the thirty sports to receive prioritised investment from Sport England's new national funding stream. The ARA has submitted a Whole Sport Plan for the sport to cover the period April 2005^Ö09. This plan is currently under review by Sport England's national investment panel and a decision on future funding levels will be made shortly.
Published on 11th January 2005
Q] Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding her Department has provided to Project Oarsome since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the outcome.
A] Mr. Caborn:Sport England provided a Lottery grant of £1.6 millionout of total project funding of £2.5 millionto support the Amateur Rowing Association's Project Oarsome.
The project, which aims to attract, support and retain young people in rowing, has seen 110 schools linked with 51 rowing clubs, involving some 30,000 Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils. There are currently over 500 club coaches working in schools.
Over the course of the project there has been a 104 per cent. increase in junior club membership, a 35 per cent. increase in club membership overall and a 145 per cent. increase in active qualified coaches. A survey of the project found that 94 per cent. of the children involved considered the scheme to be 'excellent or very good'.
Published on 11th January 2005
Q] Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the (a) purpose and (b) future of the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint.
A] Mr. Caborn: The National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont is primarily a facility for rowing and canoeing. It is a training camp for many of the country's leading watersportsmen and women and it is the main venue for national competitions.
Nottinghamshire county council and Sport England are discussing the future role and development of the site because many of the facilities and the current operating model date back to the 1970s. Discussions are at a very early stage and no timescales for development have yet been set.
In the event of a successful 2012 Olympic bid, the site could serve as a preparation base for visiting, or British teams, in the run-up to the Games; but this would be a matter for the teams in question to consider.
Published on 13th January 2005
Q] Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who owns the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint.
A] Mr. Caborn: The National Watersports Centre site at Holme Pierrepont is owned by Nottinghamshire County Council.
In the early 1970s, the site was developed in partnership between the county council and the then Sports Council. The Sports Council Trust Company is the current leaseholder.
Published on 13th January 2005
Courtesy of Robin Hulf of Hulf McRae Ltd, a supporter of the APPRG
© Copyright Rowing Service 2005