HC Deb 19 May 1971 vol 817 cc1258-60
22. Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has recently received from national aviation sports organisations concerning the level of Government assistance for the expenses of representative teams in international competitions.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

None, Sir, though I have received a request for a subsidy for administration costs incurred over aerobatic championships held last July.

Mr. Spearing

I thank the Minister for that reply. Will he confirm that whilst he has increased the grant to voluntary sports associations for overseas compotition by approximately 50 per cent., he has, as late as 20th April, reduced the grant which he will give from 66 to 50 per cent. for each particular team? Does he agree that giving notice as late as 20th April could cause disruption in the sending of amateur teams abroad?

Mr. Griffiths

Perhaps I may correct the hon. Gentleman. There has not been a 50 per cent. increase in the sums available to international sports groups appearing abroad; it is an increase of 60 per cent. There has been a reduction in the percentage amount available to individual teams, but the overall increase, which is the important thing, is very substantial.

Mr. Denis Howell

is the hon. Gentleman aware that in this pre-Olympics year to cut back the grant from two-thirds to a half for British teams competing abroad is deplorable? It was put up from a half to two-thirds after I consulted the British sports bodies immediately after the Mexico Olympics as to how we could prepare for the Munich Olympics next year. On their advice, the first priority was to increase the grant for overseas teams to raise their standards. This is what they did. They came forward with an increased programme of competition, acting in accordance with the wishes of the Government. Is not the Government's decision to cut back the grant from two-thirds to a half a gross breach of faith?

Mr. Griffiths

The hon. Gentleman knows a great deal more than I do about breaches of faith. There has been an increase in the sums available for the Olympic teams for the winter Olympics next year of £30,000. The amount which the hon. Gentleman made available in the last year of the Labour Administration was £75,000 in total. This year the amount made available is £168,000—more than double.

Mr. Wilkinson

Returning to the original Question, does my hon. Friend agree that a measure which could directly assist our aerobatic competitive teams, who have very stiff opposition, particu- larly from East Germany and the Soviet Union which are heavily subsidised, would be to cut back the tax on fuel? Will he consult his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to whom I put a specific question yesterday?

Mr. Griffiths

Yes. I am always consulting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer about tax changes for the benefit of sport.

Mr. Howell

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that sports bodies will not take kindly to that answer? When they were asked by the Sports Council and the Government to increase their programme of international participation, they did it in good faith on the basis of a two-thirds grant. In the middle of their planning in this pre-Olympics year he has cut back the grant. Having regard to the £2.8 million increase in the Arts Estimate in the same year, is not this a calamitous situation?

Mr. Griffiths

The hon. Gentleman is very bold in using phrases about calamities, about which he knows a great deal There is now substantially more money available to sports teams from this country competing abroad than ever before—double the amount the hon Gentleman made available. That is an improvement. I assure him that there will be more British athletes competing abroad this year than ever before.