To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, pursuant to AQW 49149/11-16, following the success of Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, whether she will consider a similar campaign for Northern Ireland to increase female participation in sport.

My Department has no plans at present to develop a similar campaign to Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’.

However, I can advise that Sport NI is currently developing a new participation programme named ‘Every Body Active 2020’. The programme, which has been through a consultation process, will replace the current Active Communities programme which will cease on 31 March 2016. The new programme aims to increase and sustain participation in sport, especially among a number of under-represented groups, including females.

I can advise that over the last five years, Sport NI’s ‘Active Communities’ programme has successfully engaged over 286,000 participants, 57% of those taking part in sport and leisure related activities were female. The ‘Every Body Active 2020’ policy has been developed to ensure that these levels of female participation continue to be built upon and sustained through to April 2020.