§ 2.41 p.m.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands An my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as they are not in a position 404 to announce their decision on the establishment of a Sports Development Council until after the Summer Recess, this means that applications made by sports organisations for financial help in meeting travel expenses in connection with amateur sporting events overseas this summer will also have to wait consideration until then; and, if so, whether such consideration may be retrospective for events held this summer; and whether the Government will make an interim statement upon this aspect of the matter.]
THE MINISTEROF STATE, HOME OFFICE (EARL JELLICOE)My Lords, the statements already made, and those promised in your Lordships' House and in another place, concern Government assistance to sporting activities in this country, in the context of the recommendations of the Wolfenden Committee. The Government's hope is that sport and recreation in this country will, within the resources available, receive an expanding measure of public support, in recognition of their social importance in the community. Assistance to teams engaged in international sporting competitions is a separate matter, not covered by the Committee's recommendations. Any such assistance would need to be fully justified by the contribution which the teams would be enabled to make, as a result of it, to the relations between Britain and other countries. But this lis a matter which needs careful consideration. Individual cases will continue to be dealt with on their merits by my noble friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that those organisations which have already sent in applications for such grants have had, I will not say a very curt reply but one which was quite useless and which informed them that no help could be given on this basis? May I also ask the noble Earl whether I am to understand from the Answer which he has now given me that if organisations send in applications for such financial help, they will be considered and the organisations will not be told 405 that this matter does not arise under the Wolfenden Report?
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, I think I can give the noble Lady the assurance which she wants. Any individual cases would be considered on their merits.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, since the noble Earl seems to have given way just a fraction, may I ask him, in connection with those organisations which have had their requests turned down, I suggest without due consideration, whether these matters may be looked at again? Is the noble Earl aware that they have not been turned down on the grounds that they were not worthwhile applications, but simply because they do not at present arise on the matters under consideration?
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, I think that I can assure the noble Lady that the particular individual applications to which she referred were carefully considered but it was not felt that the political dividends which would flow from giving a grant in these cases would outweigh the cost involved.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, in asking my third and last supplementary, may I say that that seems to be a most extraordinary statement from Her Majesty's Government? Is the noble Earl aware that obviously opinions will differ, not necessarily across the Floor of the House, as to the political dividends to be reaped? Surely this is a new concept in international amateur sport. Is the noble Earl aware that I shall take the greatest pleasure in putting down a Motion, for, I hope, a date after the Recess, when we can go into this extraordinary conception advanced by the Conservative Government?
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, I do not think that there is a Party political issue at all here, but naturally I will await with interest the noble Lady's Motion.