§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions(a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had on the prospect of staging the 2005 World Athletics Championship;[7926]
(2) when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department first (i) met and (ii) spoke to representatives of the (A) Sheffield city council, (B) UK Athletics and (C) Don Valley stadium to discuss the prospect of staging the 2005 World Athletics Championship.[7933]
§ Tessa Jowell[holding answer 15 October 2001]: Officials and Ministers have had discussions with a wide variety of interested parties about the staging of the 2005 World Athletics Championships.
UK Athletics were involved in Patrick Carter's review of the Lee Valley National Athletics Centre project and were briefed by the project team on his conclusions on 4 October. Together with my officials and Sport England, I also met UK Athletics on 4 October to discuss the Championships.
I have not spoken to or met representatives of Sheffield city council or the Sheffield city trust in connection with the Championships. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, who was not involved in the process from 31 August-4 October spoke to both after a decision on the Championships was taken. My officials first met the Chief Executive of Sheffield city council at his request on 20 September to discuss a wide range of sports issues. During that meeting the Chief Executive reiterated Sheffield's offer to stage the 2005 World Athletics Championships. My officials together with Sport England colleagues met representatives of Sheffield city council and Sheffield city trust on 27 September to discuss in detail the feasibility of staging the Championships in Sheffield.