Olympic Bid (Hansard, 2 February 2004)

§ 8. Mr. Elfyn Llwyd(PC) (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy)
What assessment she has made of the projected economic benefits of a successful London Olympic bid. [151928]

§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell)
We commissioned a cost-benefit analysis from Ove Arup before deciding to endorse the decision to bid to host the games in London in 2012. Staging the games would bring general economic benefits to Britain through business opportunities and potential tourism benefits through increased visitors. It will specifically benefit one of our most deprived parts of London.

§ Mr. Llwyd
I thank the right hon. Lady for that response. Although I fully endorse the London Olympic bid, I respectfully remind her that we need to bring the people of Scotland and Wales with us because £1.3 billion in lottery funding will be used to prop up the bid. May I remind her that there is excellent sailing in Wales, we are shortly to host the Ryder cup and the millennium stadium is probably the best in Europe?

§ Tessa Jowell
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that contribution and I greatly appreciate the spirit of cross-party support for the London bid, which is an important element of our strength. I take the hon. Gentleman's points. We hope that we will stage the games; their impact and ability to benefit every part of the UK will be an important test of their success.

§ Mr. Andrew Love(Lab/Co-op) (Edmonton)
One of the biggest economic beneficiaries of the Olympics should be the local community in which they will be sited in the Lea valley, which is one of the most deprived communities in the country. What efforts is my right hon. Friend making to involve that community in the development of the bid to ensure that when we do win the Olympics it will benefit?

§ Tessa Jowell
My hon. Friend is right. Community support for the Olympics will be one of the important tests that the International Olympic Committee will apply. It is not only an important test for the committee, but for us as a Government. Involvement, regeneration, an estimated 9,000 new jobs to the area and the legacy of social housing will bring benefits to the part of London about which my hon. Friend is so concerned.

§ Richard Ottaway(Con) (Croydon, South)
I am sure that the Secretary of State agrees that a key component of the bid is the decision to site the yachting events at Weymouth and Portland harbour. It is a natural harbour and the obvious location. However, does she share my concern that Powergen has submitted planning applications to build a wind farm on the breakwater of Portland harbour? That will obviously have a detrimental effect on sailing and the Olympic bid. Does she agree that unless the whole country—including business—gets behind the bid, there will be no economic benefit?

§ Tessa Jowell
I will resist the temptation to express a view on planning matters, which are rightly a matter for 524 the local authority. London 2012 has made the decision about the location of the yachting facilities. My hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight), who is not currently in his place, like the hon. Member for Croydon, South (Richard Ottaway), has been a powerful advocate for the location. It will be an excellent venue.

§ 9. Laura Moffatt(Lab) (Crawley)
If she will discuss with Sport England the use of Crawley's new leisure facilities as part of the Olympic games 2012 bid. [151930]

§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell)
The venues proposed for the games were announced by the bidding company, London 2012, on 16 January, the day after the technical bid was submitted to the International Olympic Committee. They were chosen by 2012 to best fit the needs of the athletes and Olympic sports. If we win the bid, sporting facilities across the country will be used by national teams for training camps, and at that time Sport England will look at the range of facilities available.

§ Laura Moffatt
We in Crawley are desperate to share what will be first-class facilities, to be completed next year. We would very much like to be able to show the world that the Olympic bid is not just about London, but about the ability for the rest of the country to contribute. For us it will be the icing on the cake.

§ Tessa Jowell
I could not agree more about the importance of ensuring that the benefits of the Olympics spread throughout the United Kingdom, including Crawley. That is why we have the biggest-ever programme of investment in sporting facilities. Last year, I announced a further £100 million of lottery money to fund the Active England programme, so that we could meet our dual objectives of winning the Olympic bid and hosting the games in London, and increasing participation in sport. We want to inspire young people throughout the country, including Crawley, to become champions.