London Pools Campaign: Parliament, Hansard and Whitehall

Sport (Girls): 28 Jan 2008: House of Commons debates (TheyWorkForYou.com)

webteam — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:04:04 GMT

Ah now we get it, the reason why sport and physical activity is so low on the totem pole is that our masters think it is a diversion measure for crims and the rest of us aren't interested. So to get sport funded we have to get banged-up?

Gerry Sutcliffe (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Culture, Media & Sport)
"I heartily agree, and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this issue. He will know that one of my previous roles was in the Home Office, dealing with young offenders. The busiest place in a young offender institution and, indeed, a prison is the gym, and we must try to channel that activity into sport. I believe that there is a great role for sport to play in helping support offenders and in getting them away from offending."

His colleague Chris Bryant said:

"Paris has more 50 m swimming pools than England and Wales put together. That is partly because it is very expensive for local authorities to build and maintain swimming pools. Will the Government consider building more 50 m pools and making sure that funding comes from central Government, rather than local government?"

(Chris Bryant forgets to mention that he was part of Hackney Council that went on to deny Hackney and London residents a 50m pool when the 25metre, £50million Clissold Leisure Centre was being designed. Ed)

(Via Sport (Girls): 28 Jan 2008: House of Commons debates (TheyWorkForYou.com): .)

Obesity: 23 Jan 2008: House of Commons debates

webteam — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:50:11 GMT

David Chaytor (Bury North, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source
"Should schools not be assessed on achievements in running, swimming and cycling in exactly the same way as they are assessed on achievements at level 4 in key stage 2, or the gaining of five A-C grades at GCSE?"

(Via Obesity: 23 Jan 2008: House of Commons debates (TheyWorkForYou.com): .)

Children, Schools and Families, Kate Hoey MP is on the case

webteam — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:26:28 GMT

This contribution in Westminster follows up on Ms Hoey's Daily Telegraph piece [LINK].

"The Secretary of State will know that all the research shows that good quality sports facilities and having sport in schools raises standards. Why, then, given the welcome building schools for the future programme, is a school such as Stockwell Park in the most deprived part of Lambeth, which currently has a good 25 m swimming pool, to be totally rebuilt minus its swimming pool? Surely that does not show that we mean what we say when we talk about joined-up thinking, bringing together and tackling obesity in our inner-city areas."

(Via Kate Hoey's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Educational Standards | Oral Answers to Questions - Children, Schools and Families | Commons debates: .)

Schools hit activity targets (early)

webteam — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:03:12 GMT

Recently the Government announced that 800,000 people had come to Britain to live and work since 1997 and the public laughed. Now we read that all is well in the school gym and on the playing fields.

"Schools across UK have reached their activity targets a year early, according to a government report.
The 2006-07 School Sport Survey found that 86 per cent of pupils now participate in at least two hours of PE and school sport per week. The figure is just above the 85 per cent target set by government for schools to reach in 2008."

(Via Leisure Opportunities: Schools hit activity targets: .)

Overweight Lawmakers Want Swimming Pool

webteam — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:43:21 GMT

"Weight-concious lawmakers called on British authorities Thursday to replace Parliament's shooting gallery with a swimming pool, saying it would help them keep in shape.
"Do you agree that there are too many fat members of Parliament?" lawmaker Richard Bacon asked in a House of Commons debate. "Speaking as one of them, may I say how much I welcome reports about proposals to (replace) the shooting range with a swimming pool."

(Via The Associated Press: Overweight Lawmakers Want Swimming Pool: .)

Tackling obesity should be a piece of cake

webteam — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:59:06 GMT

So we walk and cycle to swimming pools and the street-lighting runs out 50 metres from the pool or is the same cheap, murky-orange, low-sodium stuff you get on the motorway rather than white light. With fingers crossed one locks the bike to one of only 4 steel racks or to some railings. Both are located in a dark corner to the side of the doors where the CCTV cameras don't point, they are pointed straight at the carpark. Young men in hooded tops on £1200 bikes with the brakes stripped off are already staring at the bike racks knowing you will be gone for at least an hour and the receptionist tells you "no you have to leave it there". Staff wheel their own bikes along the poolside to the plant room while you swim.

Later the police tell you to report the theft online to get your crime number without queuing at the station, and, 'yes they do go from there all the time' or even, "you can try Brick Lane on Sunday morning".

"A Government-commissioned report on obesity this week makes clear that physical activity is fundamental to halting rising obesity, and points to a need to radically shift the design of town centres in favour of walking and cycling. Two generations of planners have designed the UK’s towns and cities around motorised transport, encouraging people into sedentary, car-dependant lifestyles. The report highlighted how encouraging people onto their bikes was an essential part of any strategy to tackle obesity – and that such measures would also help meet climate change targets."

(Via CTC - the UK's national cyclists organisation : .)

Swim Report to MPs unveiled at National Conference

webteam — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:22:03 GMT

" Delegates at next month’s inaugural Everyday Swim Conference in London will be the first in the country to view an interim report for Parliament.

The report, which will be presented to MPs at a special reception at the House of Commons in November to be hosted by Andy Reed MP, highlights some of the key learning from Everyday Swim and will be shared with all delegates at the conference.

Launched in July 2006 by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), Everyday Swim is a pioneering project which challenges current swimming provision and aims to produce best practice guidance based on robust monitoring and evaluation and real-life case studies.

Underway in eight areas across the country, Everyday Swim aims to break down the barriers to swimming to get more people into the pool for fun, fitness and as a part of a healthy lifestyle." [LINK TO 'EVERYDAY SWIM' EVENTS] - [BOOKING FORM]

(Via Latest News Report to MPs unveiled at National Conference: .)

Five hours of sport per week for every child

webteam — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 23:05:49 GMT

"Gordon Brown has announced a £100 million campaign to give every child the chance of five hours of sport every week.
The PM made the announcement today while visiting the West London Academy, a school with an excellent reputation for sport, with Culture, Media and Sport Secretary James Purnell, Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls, and Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes."

(Via Five hours of sport per week for every child: .)

James Purnell becomes culture secretary

webteam — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:01:41 GMT

"James Purnell, who has been appointed the new Culture Secretary, is a former adviser to Tony Blair who has also worked as a senior manager for the BBC.

The 37-year-old former pensions minister was elected to Parliament in 2001 for Stalybridge and Hyde, Greater Manchester, after a career that started as a personal researcher to Mr Blair."

(Via Blair Aide: James Purnell - Independent Online Edition > UK Politics: .)

Swimming Pools: Finance

webteam — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:24:06 GMT

"Financial assistance for community swimming pools is available through Sport England's Community Investment Fund (CIF). Applicants need to meet CIF criteria and show strong links with Sport England Regional Sports and Amateur Swimming Association strategies. Since 1997 swimming has been the biggest recipient of lottery funding, having attracted £249 million of which £242 million has gone to community swimming."

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Swimming Pools: Finance | Culture Media and Sport | Written Answers: .)

From the office of the Prime Minister

webteam — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:11:59 GMT

12 June 2007

We received a petition asking:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to save-localpools."

Details of petition:

"Local Swimming Baths across England are facing closure because Local Authorities are cutting back funding. Local Swimming baths are essential to local Communities and local schools. In some areas Local Swimming Pools are the only Local Amenity that communities have. We want the Prime Minister to Save Our Local swimming Pools!"

Read the Government's response

The Government wants every community to have access to as wide a range of sports facilities as possible and is keen to make sure these facilities are open to all.

There has been significant investment in community facilities over recent years. By the end of 2006, Government and the national lottery distributing bodies had invested around £1 billion to develop new or refurbished sports facilities and over 80% of that money has already been committed or spent on a wide range of facilities.

However, it is local authorities who are the main providers of sports and recreation facilities in their areas and, as such, they are best placed to make the difficult decisions about what facilities to provide at the expense of the local taxpayer. In doing so, it is important that local authorities plan strategically for the future, to ensure that all community needs are catered for.

But the Government is committed to helping local authorities in their efforts and will for the first time ever be monitoring local authority performance through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment. In addition, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has asked Sport England to establish a sports facilities advisory service to work with local authorities to help them improve the quality and sustainability of the sports facilities services that they offer.

Is Mr Caborn fending or answering questions about pools? - you decide

webteam — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:03:45 GMT

Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The, Conservative) Link to this | Hansard source

Idsall school in Shifnal, in my constituency, has set aside a large piece of land next to the school for a community swimming pool. What funds are available for community swimming pools, which can be of value not only to local schools but to the wider community?

Add your comment

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport) Link to this | Hansard source

I have no information about that specific pool, but I hope it is included in the strategy that is being developed by the governing body, the Amateur Swimming Association, with Sport England. We want development to be consistent, and to ensure that swimming pools and, indeed, all other facilities are built and refurbished in the areas where they are needed. If the pool is included in that strategy, it will be covered by the funding package that has been agreed with the ASA and Sport England. The aim is to create and fund such facilities with the help of the community and, in some cases, the private sector.

Add your comment

£1-sale plan for public buildings

webteam — Tue, 15 May 2007 16:40:20 GMT

"Disused schools and swimming pools could be sold to community groups for as little as £1 under a government scheme to revive local facilities.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly says the initiative will create "a new era of civic pride" by giving local people more say in how local assets are used."

(Via : .)

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to save-localpools.

webteam — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:15:33 GMT

SIGN THIS PETITION

"Local Swimming Baths across England are facing closure because Local Authorities are cutting back funding. Local Swimming baths are essential to local Communities and local schools. In some areas Local Swimming Pools are the only Local Amenity that communities have. We want the Prime Minister to Save Our Local swimming Pools!"

(Via We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to save-localpools.: .)

Early Day Motion!

webteam — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:11:27 GMT

"That this House is concerned at the inadequate provision of public swimming facilities in which British swimmers and potential contenders for inclusion in the UK's 2012 Olympic team can train, develop their skills and bring themselves up to world levels of competitiveness; regrets that nearly half of state schools with swimming pools have closed them in the last decade, despite a fifth of children starting secondary schools being unable to swim a length, that local authorities have cut back provision as a result of financial stringencies, that few new public pools are now being built, that the number of 50 metre pools is totally inadequate and that swimming has been dropped from the national curriculum; and calls on the Government to act quickly to give urgent financial incentives to schools and local authorities to provide more and better swimming facilities, so that Olympic contenders can be trained to international standards and more citizens can enjoy the satisfactions and health benefits of swimming."

(Via EDMDetails: .)

Sporting Legacy (2012 Olympic Games): Westminster Hall debates

webteam — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:45:13 GMT

Andy Reed (PPS (Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo, Paymaster General), HM Treasury, Loughborough, Labour) Has joined the debate on sport in this country by suggesting that the government saves a fortune on expenditure through the fact that British Sport is maintained by an army of volunteers using thousands of aged and crumbling facilities. He provides statistics to prove that we can look forward to an expensive Olympic Games run by yet more volunteers - or did we get that wrong?

"That was brought home to me when the Olympic swimmers were at Loughborough using the baths that were built in the late '50s, and yet we were producing world-class swimmers without a 50 m swimming pool. It was achieved in a horribly, 25 m, steel-walled swimming pool that one would not want to send one's children to if it was part of a local authority facility, never mind part of an elite facility."

(Via Sporting Legacy (2012 Olympic Games): 6 Feb 2007: Westminster Hall debates (TheyWorkForYou.com): .)

Brooking denounces sport policy

webteam — Thu, 25 May 2006 04:44:17 GMT

"The Government's 'lack of joined-up thinking' in its sports policies was denounced as scary by football icon Sir Trevor Brooking.

Sir Trevor, the FA's director of football development, also attacked as 'sheer madness' the present-day coaching policy.

He spoke out in an interview with the political monthly magazine, Parliamentary Monitor, in which he said he was 'baffled' as to where lottery money pledged for school sport had gone."

(Via Federation of South West Sports Organisations Brooking denounces sport policy: .)

Westminster Hall debates - London Olympics

webteam — Wed, 17 May 2006 22:07:47 GMT

"It is a pleasure to introduce this debate. I suspect that we will have quite a few debates on the financing of the Olympics in the next six years. ......
We have also have bad experiences locally of national funding of sport, which has jaundiced an awful lot of people's thinking. I suspect that the biggest participant sport locally is swimming. We have one public swimming pool, which is open and heated. For my first five years as an MP, I battled with Ministers and Sport England to get some support from the lottery for the pool. Initially that was ruled out on grounds of pure dogma—under no circumstances would the lottery support open pools—but, with the help of the then Sports Minister, we got the fatwa lifted. However, we were then told that although the pool was an admirable project, which would serve many thousands of people and was no longer barred on principle, Sport England did not have enough money, so we had to go for a cheaper patch-and-mend solution. Unfortunately, a few months after the announcement we were told that there were hundreds of billions of pounds available from the sports lottery for the Olympics. I think the Minister will understand that a lot of my constituents—the tens of thousands who use this community facility—are a little jaundiced when they hear about the way in which the Olympics are being funded."

(Via Vincent Cable's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Westminster Hall debates - London Olympics: .)

Caborn, Culture Media and Sport: Swimming

webteam — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 06:56:54 GMT

Access to good quality sporting provision, including swimming pools, is an essential part of enabling people to lead healthier lives and to participate in sport. There are currently over 4,400 swimming facilities across England which are open to the public. Since 1997 Government and Lottery distributing bodies between them have invested over £3 billion in physical activity and sport, and in that time £249 million of Lottery investment has gone to swimming—the largest amount given to any sport. Sport England has a swimming strategy in place and is working with local authorities to help them implement it. I understand that Sport England are in discussion with Swindon Council about the needs assessment that the Council is undertaking which includes examining its swimming provision.

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming: .)

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Olympic Funding

webteam — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 06:54:34 GMT

The most up to date breakdown of the costs of the sporting arenas needed for the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games was published in table 6.6.2b of London 2012's candidate file which was submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004. This is available on the website of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic games:
www.london2012.com/en/news/publications/Candidatefile/.
Figures shown in the candidate file are given at 2004 prices. The funding package for the games allows for inflation in venue costs of 37.18 percent.

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Olympic Funding: .)

Written answers - Deputy Prime Minister: Leisure Centres

webteam — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 08:27:49 GMT

I have been asked to reply.
Specific information on the transfer of ownership of leisure centres from local authorities to newly-formed charitable trusts is not centrally collated. However, information from the Leisure Data Base Company suggests that approximately one-fifth of public leisure facilities in England are provided through trusts.
My Department recognises the importance of this issue in ensuring the continued sustainability of publicly provided sports facilities. The Audit Commission is currently undertaking a study into the different types of management arrangements available to local authorities for running these services and how they approach the task of choosing the option best suited to local needs. This is expected to include a consideration of the potential implications of each of these options, including for charitable trusts.
I will ensure a copy of the study is placed in the House Libraries once it is published.

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Deputy Prime Minister: Leisure Centres: .)

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Disabled Swimmers (London)

webteam — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 17:33:09 GMT

"
There are currently two 50 metre swimming pools in London, one at Crystal Palace and one in the London borough of Ealing. A further three 50 metre pools are proposed for London, including one in the London borough of Hillingdon and two at the new Aquatic Centre in Stratford.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) requires that all service providers must take reasonable measures to remove, alter or provide a reasonable means of avoiding physical barriers to accessing and using their premises. In August 2005 I wrote to all local authorities reminding them of their responsibilities under the DDA in the context of leisure and tourism facilities.
"

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Disabled Swimmers (London): .)

swimming pools were discussed Yesterday in Parliament

webteam — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:10:38 GMT

In Parliament yesterday the absolute mess of swimming provision in some places was discussed - click here to listen to the discussion and hear that new pools are opening all the time. Isn't the BBC great!

"Will the Secretary of State comment on the position in London, where a number of boroughs are either in the process of closing swimming pools or talking about closing them, and many are not replacing them? Does she accept that we will increasingly face that problem as swimming pools get older, and that perhaps local authorities should take an all-party approach to the issue? All local authorities, whatever their politics, are having to close swimming pools, and they should not have to do so, given that we will host the Olympic games in 2012."

(Via Kate Hoey's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Debates - Oral Answers to Questions - Culture, Media and Sport: Public Swimming Pools: .)

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools

webteam — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 19:13:29 GMT

"There are sixteen 50 metre swimming pools with public access in England, of which two are in London. There are no 50 metre swimming pools in Havering. A further six pools are currently being developed and this includes two for the new Aquatic Centre (t d) in Stratford.
An additional three 50 metre pools and two water polo pools are planned for the Olympic games and these will be redistributed following the games against an agreed legacy strategy.
Sport England is working with the Amateur Swimming Association to consider swimming pool provision in London, including the impact of the Olympic games pool provision."

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools: .)

Culture Media and Sport: Sporting Facilities

webteam — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 03:49:44 GMT

"We do not have a target specifically on use of sports facilities. But our aim is that by 2008 almost no one should be more than 20 minutes travel time from a range of good quality sports facilities.
More and better facilities are an important part of our wider sports policy participation objectives. DCMS has an ambitious PSA target to increase participation in sport among priority groups by 3 per cent. by 2008."

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Sporting Facilities: .)

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools

webteam — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:37:37 GMT

Funding applications for new public sector swimming pools currently at the pre-award stage of consideration by Sport England are listed in the table:
County Facility
Avon Bristol—50m pool
Cleveland and Tees Valley Redcar—25m pool
Devon Plymouth—50m pool;
Torrington—25m pool
Durham Consett—25m pool
Hampshire Portsmouth—50m pool
Northumberland Blyth Valley—25m pool
Glendale Sports and Leisure Association—community pool
Warwickshire Coventry—25m pool
Sport England is also working with the Amateur Swimming Association to consider swimming pool provision in London, including the impact of the Olympic Games pool provision.
There will be a permanent Aquatics facility in Stratford which will serve as the main competition pool for the Olympic Games and provide post-Olympic legacy facilities of two 50m pools and diving facilities. A further five temporary pools are planned for the Games which will be redistributed against an agreed legacy strategy.

County	Facility
Avon	Bristol—50m pool
Cleveland and Tees Valley	Redcar—25m pool
Devon	Plymouth—50m pool;
	Torrington—25m pool
Durham	Consett—25m pool
Hampshire	Portsmouth—50m pool
Northumberland	Blyth Valley—25m pool
	Glendale Sports and Leisure Association—community pool
Warwickshire	Coventry—25m pool

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools: .)

Government Statement On Swimming Pool Guidance

webteam — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 21:02:52 GMT

Affairs of state! The Government today (08 September 2005) publishes an action plan to address this important issue that has been raised by Carolyn Warner of the Right to Swim Association relating to the problems some parents have faced in taking their children swimming.

It is hugely important that children are encouraged to swim and that they can do so safely. So Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell hosted a meeting in early April with various parties to discuss the Swimming Pool Child Admission Policy. In agreeing the action plan, it was recognised that there are risks posed to children in swimming pools. But everyone also agreed it is crucial they have the chance to learn to swim – both to get active and stay healthy and also to reduce the danger to them when around other areas of water.

The ISRM has its issued strategies listed HERE with PS001 superseded with PS004 HERE. They say "MOST SWIMMING POOLS HAVE GOT IT RIGHT BUT A FEW ARE STRUGGLING."

So whether this is a blow for child-care over safety or further justification for filling the people-mover with kids over swimming tuition with a parent dedicated to the tuition of the aquatic arts remains to be seen but it certainly is an example of very effective campaigning. On their Web site it is described as "A MAJOR VICTORY - Health and Safety Executive do not endorse ISRM guidance!" by the RtSA.

Hoey and Moynihan - Raising the Bar

webteam — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:52:34 GMT

"British sport needs a radical overhaul to achieve elite success and avert a health crisis, says the first independent review for 45 years. The 'Raising the Bar' report by ex-sports ministers Kate Hoey and Lord Colin Moynihan also claims that kids are being let down by the lack of sporting opportunities in schools and calls for the abolition of quangos, such as UK Sport and Sport England.

They want one body to oversee the management of sport in this country.

Among their suggestions are the creation of a Secretary of State for sport with a seat at Cabinet as well as the establishment of an independent anti-doping agency.

Moynihan, a sports minister in Margaret Thatcher's government, said it was important to build on London's success in winning the 2012 Olympics.

'On 6 July the Prime Minister raised the bar in Singapore with a gold-medal performance which helped Lord Coe and his team win the bid to bring the Games to London,' he said. 'We now have a duty, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to deliver a fit-for-purpose sports policy in the United Kingdom which can touch the lives of everyone.'"

(Via Federation of South West Sports Organisations Hoey and Moynihan - Raising the Bar: .)

You have to buy it - get it here.

The Guardian covers the report

UK Sport respond

the Campign for an English Parliament attempts a round-up of comment from a 'constitutional point of view [CEP newsblog LINK] never say we don't try to present you with all sides of a discussion

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools

webteam — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 17:40:49 GMT

Sarah Teather (Brent East, LDem)

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) privately operated and (b) publicly operated swimming pools have been closed or taken out of use in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport)

Eight swimming pools have closed or been taken out of use in the following London boroughs since 1997:
London Borough Swimming pool
Brent Willesden Pool
Camden Swiss Cottage Baths⁽⁴⁾
Hackney Haggerston Baths
Clissold Leisure Centre
Hammersmith and Fulham Janet Adegoke Pool⁽⁵⁾
Harrow Wealdstone Open Air Baths
Hillingdon Uxbridge Lido
Westminster Marshall Street Baths
⁽⁴⁾ Currently being refurbished and due to re-open by December 2005.
⁽⁵⁾ Currently being refurbished and due to re-open by December 2005.
We do not hold details of the public or private ownership status of these swimming pools.

London Borough	Swimming pool
Brent	Willesden Pool
Camden	Swiss Cottage Baths⁽⁴⁾
Hackney	Haggerston Baths
	Clissold Leisure Centre
Hammersmith and Fulham	Janet Adegoke Pool⁽⁵⁾
Harrow	Wealdstone Open Air Baths
Hillingdon	Uxbridge Lido
Westminster	Marshall Street Baths

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools: .)

What this table shows is the difficulty of defining 'swimming pools' faced by everyone trying to show the state of the present dilemma that is swimming provision in London. What is being recorded here are closed lidos and swimming baths or leisure centres. If we were talking about 'tanks' we would see the tank closed at Kings Hall in Hackney in 2002 here. It is also worth noting that Marshall Street Swiss Cottage and Clissold Leisure Centre are, or were, all swimming baths with two tanks each.

Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools

webteam — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:42:48 GMT

We can barely keep up with the number of questions that Sarah Teather MP asks of the DCMS and the replies she receives. We also can't fathom why nobody, that should, seems able to give her an answer that we can understand. At some point someone may have to admit that a reliable record of the number of swimming pools in London doesn't reside with the people who are paid to compile such things.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1658W, on swimming pools, how many of the swimming pools mentioned were provided by (a) public and (b) private operators.

(Via Sarah Teather's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools: .)

how many pools have been in each London borough since 1997

webteam — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 19:31:41 GMT

Sarah Teather (Brent East, LDem) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools there have been in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport) Hansard source

The information requested is provided in the following table. The information includes swimming pools provided by public and private operators.

click for table

How many pools do Sport England tell the Government London has?

webteam — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:11:11 GMT

Sarah Teather (Brent East, LDem) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many local authority maintained swimming pools there were per 1,000 population in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport)
The number of swimming pools per 1,000 population in each London borough is shown in the table. At present, the only data held by Sport England is for the combined number of both local authority and private pools and the figures therefore include pools owned by schools, private leisure centres and health clubs, etc.

In order to present an accurate picture of swimming pool provision, I also include the ratio of total swimming pool area in metres ² per 1,000 population, which takes into account the size of the pools in each borough.

link to table (local)

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com) Written answers - Culture Media and Sport: Swimming Pools (London): .)

Swimming Pools (Parental Supervision): 13 Jun 2005: Written answers (TheyWorkForYou.com)

webteam — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 17:25:24 GMT

Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent, Con) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress is being made in resolving issues surrounding parental supervision of children in swimming pools.

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport) Hansard source

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport met with key partners on 5 April to discuss the issues around supervision of children in swimming pools and will be announcing shortly the series of measures that were agreed at the meeting to resolve the problem."

(Via Swimming Pools (Parental Supervision): 13 Jun 2005: Written answers (TheyWorkForYou.com))

DfES, e-Consultation, get your comments in NOW!

webteam — Wed, 06 Apr 2005 07:50:24 GMT

"This consultation sets out the Department for Education and Skills’ proposals to support a national top-up swimming programme for those school pupils who have difficulty reaching the Key Stage 2 standard. The consultation focuses on how best to deliver the scheme; how funding could best be used; and the support that schools and others working in school swimming will need to ensure that delivery is effective. The programme is part of the national strategy for PE, School Sport and Club Links."

(Via Department for Education and Skills’ proposals.)

Brown set to inject £27million into sport

webteam — Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:27:34 GMT

Brown set to inject £27million into sport: "

Gordon Brown today unveiled plans to pump £27million into a new National Sports Foundation to improve sports facilities across the country.
The Chancellor confirmed in his Budget speech that the Foundation, which has been masterminded by Sport England chairman Patrick Carter, would be set up to attract public and private cash into projects.'
(Via By Adrian Warner, Evening Standard, 16 March 2005.)

Whoop-de-doo! Wouldn't even buy a swimming pool in Hackney. In fact its about 44p per person in Britain - which is not to far from the 37pence per meal that a school dinner must cost, funny that. Did we say Jamie Oliver should be honoured?"

(Via Clissold Leisure Users' News.)

Written answers: Swimming Baths (Parental Supervision)

webteam — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 17:52:29 GMT

"The Department has received a number of letters from members of the public and from hon. Members of Parliament, who have been contacted by their constituents, asking the Government to examine this issue.
The guidance has been introduced by the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) to improve safety at swimming pools. The degree to which it is applied is ultimately a decision for the owners and operators of individual swimming pools to make. However, it is clear that the guidance is being rigidly applied in many cases and that some pool operators are not recognising the flexibility contained within it.
The Department will host a meeting on Friday 11 February 2005 with the ISRM and other interested parties to explore how we can encourage the adoption of a common sense approach when applying the guidance."

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com).)

Written answers: Culture Media and Sport

webteam — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 04:48:12 GMT

Written answers: Culture Media and Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to prevent closures of (a) indoor and (b) outdoor swimming pools in London.

(Via Kate Hoey's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com).)

Richard Caborn (Sheffield Central, Lab)

There are currently 104 swimming pools in London open to the public.

The Government accept that all sports facilities eventually come to the end of their useful life and need to be closed or replaced. However, it is important that we continue to provide new or replacement swimming facilities where there is a gap in local provision.

In the last ten years Sport England has awarded lottery grants for the construction of 92 swimming pools in this country(eight of these were London projects.

Parliamentary Debates: Swimming Pools - Kate Hoey questions Richard Caborne

webteam — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 05:48:10 GMT

"I welcome the move towards more 50m swimming pools. As the Minister knows, Paris has more 50m pools than the whole of this country. Will he give me his views on the London pools campaign, which is concerned about the increasing numbers of swimming pools that are closing down? We lose one a year, and there seem to be no proposals to deal with that apart from a new aquatic centre were we to win the Olympic bid. What are we going to do about swimming in the rest of London?"

(Via Kate Hoey's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com).)

"There are currently 20 50 m swimming pools in England. Sport England lottery funding bids have been submitted to build four additional 50 m pools in Sunderland, Leeds, Liverpool and Portsmouth. Sport England is also working with the Greater London authority, the London Development Agency and the London 2012 Olympic bid on a new aquatics centre in Stratford, which will include at least one 50 m pool. If the 2012 bid is successful next year, the facility will be increased to two 50 m pools."
(And 5 more speeches in this debate.)

(Via Richard Caborn's Recent Appearances (TheyWorkForYou.com).)