A new All-Party Commission on Physical Activity has been launched this week to gather evidence on the UK’s activity levels.
The UK is in the grips of a physical inactivity epidemic which threatens the health and wellbeing of millions and costs the NHS more than £8 billion a year.
This stark warning from last year’s Move It report led the Young Foundation to call for increased investment in physical activity and for sport and recreation delivery to be re-focused and revitalised.
One year on, there are signs that the message is starting to get through to politicians.
The new Commission will bring together MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum to examine what can be done about the inactivity epidemic.
It will pull together evidence covering a range of policy areas including sport, health, transport, education and urban planning with a view to making a series of bold recommendations next spring.
The work will be directed by parliamentarians including Baroness Grey-Thompson, Gerry Sutcliffe and Charlotte Leslie – all of which have a strong track record of promoting sport and physical recreation in Westminster.
In addition to oral evidence sessions held in Westminster, the Commission is inviting written submissions from interested parties.
