'NEW FUNDS FOR DANCE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION' - BURT

3.58.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 7th Apr 2008

Lorely Burt MP has given a qualified welcome for an extra £5.5million government investment to encourage more young people to take up dancing, but said ministers must do more to reverse the trend of over 300,000 women dropping out of sport each year, according to figures recently uncovered by the Liberal Democrats.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Commons in January, Mrs Burt called for the extra funding for dance and criticised the Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe MP for failing to deliver on government targets for increasing the number of women participating in sport.

At Westminster today Lorely Burt MP said:

"While I very much welcome the funding commitment, dance has been on the back burner for far too long. If Labour are serious about reversing the trend of declining female participation in sport, they must give popular choices like dance the support and attention they deserve."