RIBBLE Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans has demanded to know what involvement Ministers had in a controversial £30,000 National Lottery grant to Manchester United to ensure its staff are fit.

The MP is furious that the multi-billion pound club has got the cash to pay for gym equipment for workers, including Wayne Rooney and his other millionaire player colleagues.

In the latest stage of his Parliamentary campaign on the issue, he has asked Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Sports Minister Richard Caborn a series of Commons written questions.

He is alarmed that she said no Ministers were involved in the grant while he has said they were.

The questions ask: "What involvement did Ministers have in the devising or approving of the scheme for Sport England North West in distributing lottery funds to a number of firms and organisations so their employees are encouraged to be healthier"; and "Will you clarify that no Ministers were fully involved in the decision to award Manchester United £30,000 from lottery funds?"

Mr Evans said: "Either the Culture Media and Sport Secretary Tessa Jowell is right and they had no involvement in the decision or the Minister of Sport is right and they did.

"Supporting the awards and justifying them is bad enough, but if a Minister has been instrumental in insuring that these relatively cash rich organisations have had access to scarce lottery awards then this is a complete disgrace."