Committee publication · Special Report · 26 June 2026 · HC 462
1st Special Report - Game On: Community and school sport: Government Response
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: Game On: Community and school sport
Summary
This is the Government's formal response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's April 2026 report 'Game On: Community and school sport'. The Government welcomes the report and commits to £1 billion investment in school sport over three years, alongside £400 million for grassroots facilities and £250+ million annual Sport England funding. It addresses 23 committee recommendations across healthy finances, spaces, schools and communities, largely accepting or partially accepting them while citing New Burdens Doctrine constraints on statutory duties.
Key findings
- Government confirms £1 billion investment in school sport over three years, including £580 million for new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network to replace one-size-fits-all PE and Sport Premium from Spring 2027.
- £400 million committed for grassroots facilities over four years; Sport England invests £250+ million annually, including £250 million through 92 Place Partnerships in high-inactivity areas.
- Government rejects statutory duty on local authorities for sports facilities, citing New Burdens Doctrine, but commits to place-based working and partnership approaches with councils.
- Department for Health and Social Care confirms significant funding contribution to school sport system alongside Department for Education and Culture, Media and Sport.
- Government introduces business rates relief (permanent lower multipliers worth nearly £1 billion per year) for 750,000+ properties including sporting venues; 23% see bill reductions.
- PE curriculum to be strengthened with clearer purpose; schools to 'protect two hours of PE time' for all pupils; external sports coaches in schools must work under teacher supervision from September 2027.
- Sport England to retain statutory planning consultee status pending consultation review; already responds to 99% of applications within 21-day window.
Government position
The Government largely accepts or partially accepts the Committee's 23 recommendations. It accepts in principle the need for cross-Government coordination, increased investment in school and grassroots sport, curriculum strengthening, facility improvements, and inclusive participation initiatives. It rejects the statutory duty recommendation (Recommendation 7) on grounds of the New Burdens Doctrine but substitutes place-based partnership models. It defers decisions on Sport England's statutory consultee status pending consultation feedback. On women's football broadcasting (Recommendation 22), it explains technical UEFA statute limitations prevent a simple legislative fix.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Department for Education (DfE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Sport England, Local authorities, National Governing Bodies (NGBs)
Notable line
“… the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will be fully up and running from Spring”
Key Quotes
“The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity, and recognises the crucial role schools play in delivering this.”
“Since the publication of the Committee's report, the Government has confirmed it is investing £1 billion in school sport over the next three years.”
“… the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will be fully up and running from Spring”
“The Government is committed to reducing the burdens faced by Local Government and as such does not believe a statutory duty is necessary.”
“In recognition of the impact of this reevaluation, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills.”
“The Government has accepted these recommendations and is strengthening the PE curriculum across all key stages to give it a clear purpose for all pupils, so that schools recognise the need to protect two hours of PE time for all pupils throughout their time at school.”
“… where coaches are funded through the premium, they should not replace teachers, and teachers should accompany pupils to maximise the impact of coaching.”
“… external sports coaches used by primary and secondary schools to support PE lessons must work under the supervision of a teacher with QTS.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗