§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy towards the proposed bid by Gateshead to stage the 2006 European Athletics Championships. [119043]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 14 April 2000]: The responsibility for preparing and lodging a bid for a major event rests with the appropriate national governing body, in this case UK Athletics. UK Sport is meeting UK Athletics on 18 May to reassess the athletics major event strategy in light of the International Amateur Athletics Federation's decision to award the UK the 2003 World Indoor Championships and the 2005 World Championships. The Gateshead bid is one of the items to be discussed.