2. What support will the Welsh Government make available to help recreational sport in Wales over the winter period? OQ55553

Sorry, Minister, we can't hear you again, so can you unmute?

I assumed it's clear that if I'm being called to reply to a question that I'm required to be unmuted. Does it mean I have to unmute myself every time?

I think that's—. Yes, I'm being told 'yes'. Sorry, yes, I am. So, sorry about that. Sorry. Carry on. 

All right. That is no longer a matter for me because I don't organise the activities of the Assembly. 

We know that participating in recreational sport has a very positive impact, obviously, for all ages, and we work, as I said, with Sport Wales. We have been using these major organisations of ours to distribute funds and to assess applications and I look forward to applications for recreational sport over the winter period so that we can take further the investment that we already made through the sports council.

Thank you, Minister, for that response. Obviously, some element of Government money has been made available for sports and grass-roots sports, the £14 million that was announced last week, but with the new regulations that are now in place and some politicians mulling over that these regulations could be in place for some considerable time, that's going to put a huge restriction on clubs, especially grass-roots clubs, to get through the winter months, especially like Barry Town FC, for example, Old Pens Rugby Club up in Penarth. How is the Government assessing how the new regulations that have been put in place will impact on grass-roots clubs' ability to operate and survive these coming winter months?

Clearly, we continue to assess the impact of the pandemic on all activities and especially when we have to respond as a Government collectively, with the support of the Assembly, to respond to those situations. The key thing is that we have a full and proper picture of the needs of each sector and I would encourage individual clubs and obviously the governing bodies of sporting clubs to approach Welsh Government directly, so that we can process and consider, with the help of our advisers in the sports council, what is required.

Gweinidog, Newport Cricket Club, as I know you are aware, have done a great job over a period of years in building up their activities and improving their ground. They're volunteer run; they produce some really good girls' cricket teams, players for Glamorgan and have hosted Glamorgan matches. They're in some difficulty at the moment, really, around coronavirus because their winter cricket school used premises at Newport Live, the leisure trust, but Newport Live have now commandeered that space for a socially distanced gym and it's no longer available to the cricket club, which will greatly reduce their income and will risk them losing young players and losing their interest over those winter months. They do have—Newport Cricket Club—old squash courts on their ground that could be adapted for an indoor cricket school through the winter and a feasibility study would be very useful in that regard. I wonder if you could have a look at this, Minister, and consider how Welsh Government might assist them in overcoming these issues.

Well, as you know, I do know the site you refer to and we are very keen in terms of our sports policy for full participation in cricket and in other sports by young men and young women, indeed, people of all ages who wish to participate. We are aware of the need for such a feasibility study and I would be very happy to see further evidence of the relationship that the club is developing with partners, including Sport Wales. I will raise this issue with Sport Wales myself to ensure that there is a continuing discussion with Newport City Council, with Sport Wales and Newport Live.

We have, of course, an issue that relates in this way to the operation of leisure centres by agencies that are no longer part of the local government. So, the situation is not simple, but we are very keen in Welsh Government that we are able to support the activities at the grass roots, as it were—or should I say on the cricket pitch, in this case—to ensure that they do relate to the local community regardless of the governance of the sport.