§ 19. Mr. FranksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to involve active or recently retired sportsmen and women in the administration of British sport.
§ Mr. MoynihanOn 16 May I hosted the first ever conference for sportsmen and women which enabled over 100 active participants in sport to have their say on a wide range of issues affecting the future of sport. A number of 605W top-level sportsmen and women are directly involved in three particularly important initiatives—first Steve Ovett, Clive Lloyd and Jeoff Thompson are members of my review group looking at sport and recreation provision in inner cities; secondly, Duncan Goodhew and Tessa Sanderson are working with me on my reveiw of sport for people with disabilities; and thirdly, Sebastian Coe and I have worked closely together on efforts to stamp out drug abuse in sport. Earlier this year I invited Chris Bailieu to be a member of the United Kingdom's delegation at the Council of Europe's sports committee.
§ 35. Mr. ForthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the levels of private sector sponsorship in sport over the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoynihanBetween 1981 and 1987, the level of private sector sponsorship of sport rose from about £50 million to £170 million per year, a real terms increase of 150%. Over the same period, the number of companies involved in sponsorship rose from 700 to 1,000. Comparable figures are not available for the period 1978–81. I welcome this growth in the sponsorship of sport. It brings substantial benefits to sport at all levels.