§ Mr. LeggTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she will next visit the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee. [20264]
§ Mr. SproatI am visiting the International Olympic Committee on 13 March at the invitation of its President, Mr. Samaranch. My main aim is to ensure that the case for British sport and our commitment to attracting major international events, not least the Olympic games, is fully understood at the highest levels of major international sports organisations. I shall also be using the opportunity to stress the whole range of radical sporting initiatives which this Government have taken, including: the proposed British Academy of Sport; national lottery revenue support to develop sporting excellence and capital support for updating facilities, including the proposed new English national stadium at Wembley and facilities in Manchester for the 2002 Commonwealth games. To underline the importance of this visit, Mr. Craig Reedie, chairman of the British Olympic Association, and a member of the United Kingdom Sports Council, will accompany me.