Grassroots Rugby League

11:00:00

I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for grassroots rugby league. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. There was recently a debate in Westminster Hall about rugby union, and I am glad that now that the six nations is over, we can get back to talking about real rugby, especially on the day that the return of the Ashes has just been announced. From the grassroots to the biggest stages, I know all too well how sport is an essential part of our lives. The value sporting clubs bring to communities cannot be overstated, but in my view, there is something truly special about rugby league because it is entirely embedded in our communities. Those deep roots come from the history of the sport, with northern towns and working-class players wanting a competition that better represented and reflected them. We may see players making TV big hits on a weekend and scoring match-winning tries, but in the week we see them doing the big shop at the local Asda, coaching their kids team, at the school drop off and even—sometimes—down the pub.

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate; her enthusiasm is infectious. Back in Northern Ireland, the Spar grocery chain group have supported rugby for some two years. Does the hon. Lady agree that, while we welcome that local business support for the grassroots, there is a need for governmental support and incentives to make it easier to support the sport and promote it in the lower classes as well as to women, so that they have the opportunity as well?

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. This is my first ever Westminster Hall debate, so I am very grateful for any interventions. I agree that we need to do more and I will come on to women in the sport later. Rugby league players are not invisible heroes driving around in Ferraris and posting their lavish lifestyles on Instagram. These players and their teams are in their community, not above it. Their victories are our victories as much as we also share their defeats.

I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. One of the rugby players most embedded in the community in my patch is Billy Boston. Local councillors in my patch have started a petition to secure Billy Boston a knighthood. Does my hon. Friend agree with me that in general, rugby league deserves more national recognition and that a very good way to start would be to ensure that Billy Boston becomes Sir Billy Boston?

I could not agree more. I absolutely think any recognition we can give the sport is great and we should look at doing that. The impact, involvement and contribution of players is represented perfectly by Kevin Sinfield and the late, great Rob Burrow. It would be remiss of me not to mention these two gentlemen who perfectly personify rugby league and did so much to increase awareness of motor neurone disease, including securing investment for West Yorkshire’s very own MND research centre. That grit, loyalty, purpose and solidarity, alongside a commitment to others and their community, leaves real, positive, lasting change. We in this place could learn much from them. Community spirit is an over-used phrase, but not with league. It is what we are about, who we are, the game and the fight, but it is also the people as well—the places, families, clubs, and community. That is league, and that is why I am so proud of it.

I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. She will know, as my neighbour, that Huddersfield is the birthplace of rugby league. We are really proud of that, and of our team the Huddersfield Giants, as well as our local community clubs, Newsome Panthers, Moldgreen Juniors and St Joseph’s. Does my hon. Friend agree that we must do more to support and fund local infrastructure to ensure that such clubs thrive?

Yes, we need to do more so that grassroots clubs can really thrive. I will come on to that later in my speech. We can see the spirit of rugby league in the finances of the clubs, from the charitable foundation that almost every club funds and operates, to the shirts sponsored by local businesses. For example, in recent years my local team, Wakefield Trinity, has had Horbury’s Bistro 42, Evenfinish Groundworks, and Wetherby Whaler fish and chip shop on their kit—and now their entire stadium is sponsored by DIY Kitchens. That is local sport and local enterprise coming together for the benefit and enjoyment of the whole area. What a team Wakefield Trinity are! I was at the game on Friday against Hull FC; it was not quite the result I wanted, but that is by the by. I should declare an interest in Wakefield Trinity, not just as a fan but because the club gave me one of my first proper jobs, teaching PE in schools right across Wakefield. Being the community development officer for my local team showed me the true value of what sport could do for young people. It also confirmed to me how post-industrial communities such as mine were suffering, having been failed and ignored by previous Governments. Indeed, it was through that job that I became political, as I saw the damage the closure of the Sure Start centres did to the families of the children I was teaching. Because of the spirit of localism and community, where Government had failed towns like mine, Trinity rolled up their sleeves and stepped in. During my time at the club’s community foundation, I worked on projects providing education, confidence, development and opportunity to children right across the M62 corridor. As part of the programme, I took thousands of children to Wembley. More often than not, that was the first time some of those kids left their home towns. Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation continues to do so much important work across our community today. The club’s Safety Net project runs training sessions for children with challenging behaviour, helping them build friendships, gain confidence and understand themselves; its Trinity All-Stars programme provides physical activity sessions and support groups for children with physical or learning disabilities; and its One Trinity initiative gives people living with dementia an afternoon a month to relive fond memories of rugby league. During the election, I was proud to take part in a roundtable with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Movember and Rugby League Cares, to discuss the importance of mental health. I was so moved to see former players, known for their gruff, gritty exteriors, talk openly and honestly about their mental health. In the area where I grew up, and now have the privilege to represent, too often men bottle up their emotions. It was so impactful to see players and the club aware of their role in the community, and so keen to use it proactively to break the stigmas that keep so many from opening up. That work—opening up conversations about mental health—is exactly the value that rugby league can provide to communities like mine. In post-industrial northern towns, as jobs and industries have disappeared, the institutions and communities that came with them have fallen away. However, rugby league teams have survived, embedded in our communities through thick and thin, providing place, meaning and an entire team to look up to. In our towns, where young people, especially young men, lack direction and are too often denied the opportunity warranted by their aspiration, league can provide role models and structure—a hand on the shoulder, a word, sometimes stern, always caring, when it is needed most. That is mirrored across the north: what were once jewels in the crown of thriving towns are now needed to bind our communities together. No one will be surprised to know that I believe the new Labour Government truly understand that, and I will support them in bringing opportunity and hope back to these areas, so rugby league teams and their communities can thrive once more. Our sport has already survived so much, but it is vital we provide for its future, so its value to the community can continue for generations to come.

My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech about the power of rugby league to change our communities. Farnley Falcons in my constituency was founded in 2005 by volunteers, and it has gone from strength to strength. As a result of fostering community spirit, they now have record numbers of boys and girls playing rugby league in Leeds South West and Morley. I was so pleased to be able to secure funding, alongside the Leeds Rhinos foundation, for them to renovate and build a new clubhouse. Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute not only to Farnley Falcons, but to community clubs everywhere that foster that spirit?

I absolutely commend the Farnley Falcons; they do so much for the community that is so underestimated. Everyone in that town will know how much they do for the community and will be grateful for that. Securing and growing the sport ensures that future generations have access to the many developmental, physical, mental, social and community benefits of the clubs. That is why I support calls for the Government to drive greater access and opportunities to enjoy rugby league in schools, particularly in the towns that love the sport so much. We want to see more people being physically active, building stronger communities and tackling inequalities. As a woman who loved league both from the stands and on the pitch, I would love to see more women enjoying the sport. The RFL are doing some incredible work in growing the girls’ game and crucially, their position within our communities means clubs can also bring working-class women into the game—something other sports struggle to achieve at the elite level. However, blockers to better integrating the game remain in the facilities and pitches. Will the Minister look at how we can use the recently announced grassroots sport package to tackle this problem? As I have described, the power of rugby league comes from the grassroots and localism. I welcome the success of larger clubs in bringing our sport to wider audiences, but the Government must continue to support the smaller clubs who remain its beating heart. Much like the communities that play it, rugby league—from the grassroots to the finals at Wembley—deserves support, attention and care. For all northern post-industrial towns, I urge the Government to continue their work to provide that.

11:12:00

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr. Vickers. I am pleased to be responding to this debate and I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Ossett and Denby Dale (Jade Botterill), who represents the seat just up the road from mine. It is her first debate and I think it is a fantastic one. She was incredibly generous to say she would welcome interventions, but I wonder whether she will still be doing that on her third and fourth debate. This is a good natured debate on a great topic, so I congratulate her. I also join my hon. Friend in welcoming the news that Australia will be returning to England this autumn for the first Ashes tour since 2003. One match will be played at Everton’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium, which I plan on visiting. This Government are supportive of rugby league and the role that clubs play, from the elite level to local communities. That is reflected in this half-hour debate as we saw the number of Members from across the House who are here to show their support. It is great to see how rugby league’s fiercest rivals have recently put aside differences to join forces in tackling inequalities. My hon. Friend spoke about her area of Wakefield and I understand that the clubs are collaborating with Prosper Wakefield District, a newly appointed charity partner, to tackle various social issues including the Wakefield children’s bed appeal. It is incredible to see the team spirit in the community foundations of the Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity and the Featherstone Rovers as they unite to address issues such as health inequality, youth engagement and community safety. That is supported by the RFL Community Trust and brings important social value. My hon. Friend rightly paid tribute to the amazing work and fundraising on motor neurone disease—an issue and cause that is really close to my heart. She also rightly spoke about Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield, and I echo those comments. This year, rugby league celebrates its 130th anniversary. Rugby league clubs make a huge contribution to their communities and week in, week out, local people come together to support their clubs, their children’s teams and young players. They are places where thousands of people play sport and get active every week. My hon. Friend spoke passionately about the particular impact of that on post-industrial towns. I represent one myself, in Barnsley South, where we have a couple of grassroots teams, the Dearne Valley Bulldogs and the Dodworth Miners. We see grassroots teams all across the north of England, and that is reflected in the attendance at today’s debate. We know that community sport, and especially sports such as rugby league, can play a major role in building confidence and teamwork, supporting life skills for future generations and improving community cohesion. Through our arm’s length body Sport England, we provide direct financial support to rugby league, supporting it to thrive and grow. In 2022, Sport England announced long-term funding support of £11.9 million for the Rugby Football League up to 2027. The social value generated by community sport and physical activity is vast—in excess of £100 billion a year. Indeed, the RFL recognised in its facilities strategy last year that social isolation, mental and physical health issues and antisocial behaviour pose a challenge for future generations, but can be sustainably addressed through sport. My hon. Friend spoke very passionately about that; we see it across a number of sports, but the points she made about rugby league in particular were really important. We know, and can evidence, that being active saves on half a billion GP visits. It also prevents 3 million cases of serious conditions each year, including 1.3 million cases of depression and half a million cases of back pain, and leads to a reduction in diabetes. However, we also know that the benefits of sport go much wider than health. For example, sport contributes directly to 10,000 fewer crime incidents a year. A 2019 report highlighted that every pound spent on sport by rugby league community clubs generates a social return of over £4. The social impact of rugby league on players and volunteers is estimated to be more than £185 million, and although a couple of those figures are a few years old, they underscore the vital role that sports such as rugby league can play in driving positive public health and societal outcomes across communities. The Government are committed to supporting sports such as rugby league. We do this primarily through the work of Sport England, but I have heard the points that my hon. Friend has made about promoting sport in schools. I was pleased to meet the leading governing bodies with the schools Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell). She is incredibly passionate, and we work closely together to try to improve sport in schools. I look forward to continuing that work with my hon. Friend the Member for Ossett and Denby Dale, who also acknowledged that in the past week, the Government confirmed that they will invest £100 million in grassroots sports facilities via the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme. Central to that programme is its multi-sport offer: 40% of projects will offer regular and sustained multi-sport use. That is vital investment that will help support rugby league clubs to develop their facilities across our towns and cities, and it also shows the importance of working alongside local areas, taking a place-based and community-driven approach. We do not underestimate the challenges faced by grassroots sport, including rugby league clubs. They include increased financial pressures with ever more responsibilities, population behaviour shifting away from traditional sport offers, or the challenge of securing volunteers—I take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all those volunteers who give up their time. Sport England supports clubs to address those challenges with advice and guidance through its Buddle programme, which provides free resources to grassroots sports clubs to help them maximise their role at a local level. It also provides financial support through the £160 million movement fund, which provides both grants and crowd- funding support to grassroots clubs. The Rugby Football League itself is doing brilliant work to tackle inequalities throughout its sport, clearly showing the value of that sport. Examples include its Awakening Rugby League in the City programme, which will create a pathway for talented athletes who may never have considered playing rugby league, giving them an opportunity to experience the game for the first time in a supported environment. Through the Inspiring Futures programme, delivered by the charitable foundations of the seven super league clubs and supported by the RFL, the sport is able to reach more children and young people, supporting them to grow and develop and helping steer them away from violence and crime. More broadly, the RFL have also been working with its social care partner to relaunch its On the Same Team campaign, helping to tackle prejudice within society. That campaign offers simple and inspiring education that helps young people to understand the impact of their words and behaviours on other people, and how we can thrive when we are on the same team. In 2022, England was proud to host the rugby league world cup. It made history as the biggest rugby league tournament ever, and as the first time that the men, women and wheelchair tournaments played simultaneously and that equal participation fees were paid. That was a major step forward, and one that the sport should be incredibly proud of. The subsequent social impact programme has done incredible work to tackle inequalities in the communities that need it most, many of which are located in the host towns and cities such as Leeds, Hull and Huddersfield—many of the Members for those towns and cities are present in the Chamber today. That is testament to the power of major sporting events to deliver transformation in communities and facilities across the country. Following the world cup, we saw a boost to women and girls’ participation in the game, with 33% more females playing the sport just a year later in 2023. The RFL also launched the RugBees programme, aimed at breaking down gender stereotypes and encouraging more young girls into the sport. The scheme is open to girls aged between seven and 11, and is designed to help them develop confidence in areas such as catching, passing and kicking. It is the first rugby league programme to be developed specifically for primary school-aged girls. Following England’s historic victory in wheelchair rugby league, that sport has also seen significant growth, leading to an expansion of the wheelchair super league to eight teams in 2025 and the renewal of the Tryz rugby league sessions run by Access Sport in partnership with the Rugby Football League. As things stand, not enough people are active or participating in sport—I know that from my own area. We want to do everything we can to get people more active and more involved, enabling them to access the sports they love. As such, this debate has been a great opportunity to outline the Government’s commitment to supporting grassroots rugby league and sport more generally. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Ossett and Denby Dale for giving us the chance to discuss this important topic in her first debate. Question put and agreed to.

11:20:00