HEREFORD MP CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO GIVE CHILDREN A SPORTING CHANCE

1.00.00pm GMT Mon 13th Aug 2007

Paul Keetch MP is calling on the Government to provide more tax relief for sports clubs that provide sporting activities for children.

The MP is responding to a Government consultation on Gift Aid to ask for this important tax relief to be extended to help increase children's sports in the run-up to the 2012 Games.

Mr Keetch is supporting the campaign by the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) to boost the number of sports clubs that qualify for charitable tax relief.

The consultation by HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and HM Revenue and Customs is looking for ways to increase the take up of Gift Aid. At present sports clubs that register under the Community Amateur Sports Club scheme are entitled to tax relief similar to that provided to charities. However, CCPR believes that there are opportunities to extend the relief to more clubs.

So Paul Keetch MP is asking the Government for two actions to help sports clubs for children:

i) To conduct a strong take-up campaign so that more clubs register under the CASC scheme;

ii) To extend Gift Aid to sports club subscriptions paid by children.

Paul Keetch MP said, "There are dozens of sports clubs in my constituency that do a fantastic job providing sports facilities for children. Many of them are run by volunteers who put in a lot of time and effort to give our kids the chance to take part in sports.

"They deserve some support, and these two simple measures will help significantly. I am asking the Government through this consultation to expand the Gift Aid scheme to help children's sports. It can make all the difference in boosting sports participation by children in the run up to the 2012 Games."

At present, it is estimated that only 10 per cent of sports clubs registered under the CASC scheme actually claim Gift Aid on the funds they raise. This amounts to over £2.8 million in total, an average of over £6,000 a club. Clubs that offer activities such as swimming, gymnastics and netball, which are popular with children, have been among the slowest to sign up for the scheme. The introduction of Gift Aid on junior subscriptions would be of massive benefit to all sports clubs.

ENDS