LIBERAL Democrat secretary Paul Andrews questions my commitment to improving sports provision for young people in Ryedale (Letters, October 9).

I remind him of the help and support I gave to the Fitzwilliam Sports Association in realising their sports pavilion and new pitch project at the Gannock, Malton, which allows Ryedale children to play football, cricket and hockey. The project would not have proceeded without the vital support of the Sports Lottery Fund.

I want to see improved sports facilities at Ryedale schools including Malton, but we cannot "go it alone" as the Liberal Democrats seem to think. The Lottery funding from Sport England will be essential, otherwise any new centre will be a drain on council tax payers for years.

It is highly irresponsible for the Lib Dems to argue that a new sports hall could be paid for from Ryedale's £7 million reserves. The income from these reserves funds the district council's social housing programme, a highly appropriate use given that the money, or what's left of it, came from the sale of all Ryedale's council houses. As Shadow Sports Minister, I am in regular touch with Sport England and can confirm the accuracy of the advice given to Ryedale that any sports funding will be conditional on a formal plan for sports provision across the district and that funding a swimming pool at this time is unlikely.

Sport England also plans to undertake a strategic analysis of school sports provision across the country. Over the next three years they will provide funds where need is shown to be the greatest. So the decision of Ryedale Conservatives to take a step back and draw up their own strategic plan is sensible and essential to securing Lottery support for sports provision in Ryedale.

John Greenway MP

House of Commons, London.