HC Deb 11 July 1973 vol 859 cc1499-500
4. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his discussions in the last three weeks with representatives of the lawn tennis authorities and the professional players.

32. Mr. W. H. K. Baker

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his meeting on 20th June with the Association of Tennis Professionals; and what advice he offered the association.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

I met representatives of the Association of Tennis Professionals and the International Lawn Tennis Federation and hoped that by discussing their differences with an impartial third party they might have been able to resolve them. I regret that the gap between them was too wide to be bridged in the time available. I think that everyone will agree that Wimbledon nevertheless survived.

Mr. Dalyell

As a matter of curiosity, what was the point of all those telephone calls by the Minister to Yugoslavia, and did his action have the approval of Mr. Herman David, or the All England Club, or the Sports Council?

Mr. Griffiths

I seek no approval from any of these bodies. I sought only to help those members of the British public who had looked forward to a successful Wimbledon. I regret very much that this incident should have happened. But taking everything into account, I hope that Wimbledon survives and will go on surviving regardless of these petty squabbles.

Mr. Baker

Does not my hon. Friend agree that, if anything, Wimbledon this year was better, cleaner and more fairly played than in the past, and does not my hon. Friend deprecate the strong-arm action of one J. Kramer?

Mr. Griffiths

I can only say that I personally enjoyed Wimbledon. I hope that other hon. Members did. For the most part, I think that the less the Government have to do in the day-to-day management of sport the better. But wherever I am asked to help I am always willing to do so.

Mr. Denis Howell

We are happy that the Minister tried to resolve the matter, but does he not agree that it was a little odd for a British Minister responsible for sport to make telephone calls to Yugoslavia in an attempt to arrange a deal between a Yugoslav player and the Yugoslav Tennis Association? What ministerial responsibility was involved? Can the hon. Gentleman confirm, as I hope he can, that he made it clear to the representatives of the players whom he met that, although we support their having greater representation on any appropriate committee, in fact in any sport the governing body must govern and that tournaments like Wimbledon, while providing proper rewards to players, also have financial responsibility to provide money for the development of the game—money for development that has benefited many of these players in the past?

Mr. Griffiths

I agree with the second part of the hon. Gentleman's question. As for the first part, I repeat that I am always anxious to help.