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Water Sports

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled Answered 24 July 2025UIN 68367

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to increase locations for paddle boarding across the UK.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including paddle boarding.

Sport is a devolved policy area in Northern Ireland for which the Department for Communities is responsible.

In England, the Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment to ​P​addle UK, the National Governing Body for ​p​addle sports, which receives up to £1​0.​2 million for five years to invest in community initiatives.

Our rivers, lakes, canals, and seas play a vital role in helping people across the country to get physically active, while enjoying the benefits of being outside in nature. The Government will continue to work collectively to improve access to clean water in order to allow more people to enjoy the benefits of water sports and water-based recreational activities, including paddle boarding.

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