Smith grills Scottish Government on future of SportScotland

22/11/07

Margaret Smith MSP has questioned the Government on the future of SportScotland following their pledge to abolish the agency. Speaking in Parliament today, the Edinburgh West MSP asked the Minister for Communities and Sport, Stewart Maxwell when the Scottish Government would make their decision on the future of SportScotland, the national agency for sport, currently based in South Gyle. Ms Smith also pressed the Minister on how the Government would ensure that sporting bodies would continue to receive quality support if the body was to be abolished.

Commenting, Ms Smith said:

“SportScotland provides a wide range of services to sporting organisations across the country and provides these in a co-ordinated and cost-effective way as a single body. If the agency was abolished and its functions split amongst various organisations such as local authorities, it is difficult to see how this co-ordination would be maintained and how this would not increase the cost of the services.

“I was glad to receive assurances that the Government will ensure that the needs of sport in Scotland are paramount in their considerations and I hope that their decision will reflect this commitment and not any other priorities they may have in reviewing the agency. There is no point in scrapping SportScotland if it’s to be replaced with an alternative that is less efficient and effective.”

Read Margaret’s question and the Minister’s response >>