FUNDING FOR ELITE BASKETBALL IN THE UK

Early day motion 1229, tabled 26 March 2014 by Baroness Hoey (Labour). Signed by 11 members.

That this House condemns UK Sport's decision to withdrawn all funding from British Basketball's elite funding programme ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games; notes that both the men's and women's national elite teams have gone from the bottom rung of the international ladder to being one of the most respected national sides in Europe since UK Sport funding was initiated; further notes that Sport England's Active People Survey 7 demonstrates that sports participation in England has decreased by over 50,000 in the last year, yet participation in basketball has increased; further notes that basketball is the third most played team sport in England; further notes that by removing funding from the sport's elite development programme, young grassroots participants will have no national team to aspire to; suggests that UK Sport's 'no compromise' funding approach means no hope for the future of elite basketball in the UK; and further suggests that UK Sport reviews the process for assessing funding allocations to team sports and that funding is reinstated to ensure a prosperous future for basketball in the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 6, DUP 2, Conservative 1, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.