In a report released yesterday, which praised both the disciplinary and educational approach that the FA takes to drugs in football, the Committee also stated that they were "deeply impressed by the extent of the commitment of sports in Britain – particularly football – to the communities in which they are based and to wider society."

The FA understands the importance of a football club to its local community, and vice-versa, and a significant portion of its investment in the game has been specifically aimed at helping clubs play an even bigger local role.

The FA has invested over £150m in the last three years in promoting and developing the game at grassroots level, improving both facilities and coaching standards. This has resulted in unprecedented numbers of people staying active through playing football, with notable increases in small-sided football (5 and 6-a-side), youth football and the women’s and girls’ game. More people are now playing football in England than ever before.

Sport can achieve even more in helping fitness, improving education and preventing crime, but this will need both coordinated work and significant investment as the Committee has suggested.

FA Chief Executive Mark Palios said: "Football’s status as the UK’s most popular sport makes it ideally placed to make a significant contribution towards promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle among the population, and the Committee has recognized this. We welcome the Committee’s desire for enhanced levels of public investment in key grassroots sport, to help the nation stay fit and healthy."

Specifically, The FA welcomes the Committee’s call for "enhanced levels of investment in the key grassroots sports where the highest levels of participation can be achieved in the most cost-effective manner".

The recognition that sport is "a willing and able partner for the Government on a range of policy issues" is significant, and supports the message that The FA has promoted for some time. The Committee’s call for a cross-departmental review of all sport-related initiatives, led by the DCMS, is welcome and The FA looks forward to assisting in this process.

The FA also welcomes the Select Committee’s recommendation that The FA, Sport England and the DCMS meet with the Deputy Prime Minister’s office to look at planning permission for football playing fields, and again looks forward to a constructive discussion to ensure that the grassroots of the game are protected.