Written - Free Swimming

I am today drawing to the attention of the Assembly, the very positive news that from September 2010 a revised Free Swimming scheme for children and young people will operate across Wales.

The scheme will be delivered with the existing funding local authorities receive from the Welsh Assembly Government through Sport Wales and will offer a minimum of:

• 14 hours of free swimming per week per local authority area during all school holidays, of which a minimum of 7 hours would be structured sessions.
• 1 dedicated structured session for disabled children per week per local authority area during all school holidays
• 2 hours of free swimming or dry-side activity per weekend per local authority area throughout the year.

I shall be launching the revised scheme on 8 June at Newbridge Leisure Centre in the County Borough of Caerphilly and I will make a statement about it during Plenary in the afternoon.