HITZ RUGBY SOCIAL INCLUSION SCHEME

That this House welcomes the national launch of HITZ, a social inclusion programme, combining rugby union with training to support 9,000 at risk young people back into education and employment; notes the high cost of young persons Not in Employment, Education or Training to British public services and economy requires innovative solutions such at this; applauds the efforts of Premiership Rugby, and its constituent clubs Bath Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, London Wasps, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, Saracens and Worcester Warriors to tackle this pressing social issue in their communities; further welcomes the co-operation between Premiership Rugby, the private sector and public services such as youth offending schemes, pupil referral units and social and youth services involved in HITZ; and encourages the Government and others to look at the potential power of professional rugby union as an agent of social change for young people in the run-up to Rugby World Cup 2015.