Jane Hunt MP asked:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the (a) level of fiscal support available to Premiership Rugby clubs in response to the covid-19 outbreak and (b) potential merits of increasing that support.
Nigel Huddleston MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, responded:
The Government recognises the impact that Covid-19 is having on the sporting sector and our multi-billion-pound package of business support has enabled many of our sports clubs to survive. We have provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many sport clubs have benefited from. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £210 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.
The Government has also supported elite sports to return to "behind closed doors" competition, which enabled vital broadcast revenue, retained competitive integrity and brought joy to millions of sports fans.
The safety and security of players and spectators remains of paramount importance. Work continues at pace to find solutions that will allow crowds safely back into stadia as soon as possible. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this. Ministers and officials will continue to engage with Premiership Rugby as part of this process. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is also working with HM Treasury on what can be done to provide further support.
