A BIG investment in swimming pools is being demanded by MPs who claimed the sport had almost disappeared from Manchester schools.
The Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee said drowning among under-14s was increasing but the government had no overall plan to encourage swimming.
The committee, chaired by Gorton MP Gerald Kaufman, said: ''Water safety and the ability to swim should be considered more important than ever. We believe it should be a key point of government policy on sport and education that every child should have the opportunity, and access to facilities, to learn to swim.''
They heard evidence from the campaign for Manchester's Victoria Baths which were the centre of competitive swimming in the city between 1906 and 1993 when they was closed.
A spokesman for the campaign told MPs: ''Very few schools now hold galas. As a result the trophies that used to be awarded became redundant - there are now 14 silver trophies collecting dust in Manchester.
''They used to be awarded every year to individuals or schools for various swimming achievements - they are poignant evidence of the collapse of school swimming in Manchester.''
Amenities
When the council closed the baths the campaigners began working on plans to renovate them as a healthy living centre. The campaign spokesman said: ''Despite the government's policy of 'sport for all', facilities for swimming are being reduced.
''There needs to be more local amenities, not fewer, grander, centralised facilities.
''Our pools are mostly situated in very poor areas where most people will not swim regularly unless they can walk to a local pool.
''The current trend flies in the face of the government's policy on social exclusion, community involvement in regeneration and joined up government.''
Mr Kaufman's committee agreed. They say swimming is the most popular sport for girls and the second most popular for boys, with nearly 12 million people swimming regularly.
''It would be of little value for the government to welcome this report while failing to back up encouraging noises with specific action,'' it concluded.
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