Government row breaks out over plan to cut spending for PE in England’s schools

Planned cuts to PE funding undermine previous statements by ministers promising to tackle childhood obesity. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

A row between government departments has broken out after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) proposed cutting all its funding for physical education in schools.

The DHSC is now intending to restore the funding despite insisting privately for weeks that it would end its contribution. Ministers are understood to have overruled the cuts, it emerged after the Guardian contacted the department.