Forget doll houses, parents should buy daughters a GYM MEMBERSHIP for Christmas, MP claims
FORGET toy dolls and princess dress up costumes, parents should consider buying their daughters trainers and a GYM MEMBERSHIP for Christmas, a Conservative MP said today.
A Conservative MP has suggested parents buy their daughters trainers and a gym membership for Xmas
Nigel Evans made the festive present suggestion as he called on mothers and fathers across Britain to take "huge responsibility" in encouraging more girls to get involved in sport.
However, the MP for Ribble Valley confessed a gift-wrapped gym pass may not make parents very popular come Christmas morning.
Sports minister Tracey Crouch agreed parents should be as "supportive as possible" when their daughters show an interest in sport, but conceded she would not "dictate" what parents buy.
The number of women taking part in sport has increased by more than 500,000 since 2005, MPs heard today.
Nigel Evans said little girls should be encouraged into sport
But the MP warned that buying trainers might not make you popular come Christmas morning
Ms Crouch added recent figures show the "beginning of a decline" since a high point in 2012.
Speaking in the Commons, former Conservative Party vice-chairman Mr Evans asked Ms Crouch: "Would you agree with me that parents have a huge responsibility to play here?
"So at this time that parents are thinking what to buy their daughters for Christmas, and it may be that won't make the parents the most popular people in the household on Christmas morning, but that they could perhaps consider buying their daughters gym membership and a pair of trainers for Christmas."
Should you buy your daughter a gym membership for Christmas?
Tory frontbencher Ms Crouch, who is pregnant, replied: "Well, as somebody who is hopefully producing a future sports star herself, I don't think it's really for me to dictate to parents what it is that they buy their children for Christmas.
"But I do think that it is important that parents understand their girls may want to get involved in sport, perhaps not traditional girls' sport, and that they should be as supportive as possible when they do so."