§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice he has received from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment concerning the design of the new Wembley Stadium. [107135]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 27 January 2000]: The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) forwarded to the Secretary of State a copy of its letter of 16 December to Lord Foster of Thames Bank. This letter strongly supported the design which would 732W meet the primary function of a football stadium, and noted how it could be converted for an athletics event but that it was essential that this provision should not compromise the stadium when used for football. CABE further stressed the importance of the work of the Wembley Task Force in ensuring the surrounding area provides a fitting environment.
§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) on what date the Ellerbe Beckett report into Wembley Stadium was first received by his Department; [107136]
(2) on what date the Ellerbe Beckett report into Wembley Stadium was first made available to (a) Sport England, (b) UK Athletics, (c) the British Olympic Association and (d) Wembley National Stadium Ltd. [107137]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 27 January 2000]: We received the DLA: Ellerbe Beckett report on Monday 29 November 1999.
§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) of 18 January 2000,Official Report, column 384W, on Wembley Stadium, if he will list the interested parties with which his Department held discussions; on what date those discussions were held; and if he will make a statement. [107182]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 27 January 2000]: Between the statement in the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 305–06 and the announcement on 22 December, discussions were held with Sport England, UK Sport, UK Athletics, the British Olympic Association, Wembley National Stadium Ltd. and the Football Association.
§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his oral statement of 1 December 1999,Official Report, column 306, which bodies advised him that it seemed unlikely that Wembley could provide an appropriate venue for the World Athletics Championships. [107299]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 28 January 2000]: The conclusions were drawn from the Ellerbe Beckett report. While Wembley National Stadium Ltd. subsequently addressed many of the issues outlined in a statement on 1 December 1999, the proposed solution was not the ideal for athletics as it required substantial investment without a lasting athletics legacy and would not have been suitable as the centrepiece for any future Olympic bid.
§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) of 25 January 2000,Official Report, column 163W, when (i) he and (ii) ministers in his Department first discussed the ideal focal point for the new Wembley Stadium in athletics mode with (a) Sport England, (b) Wembley National Stadium Ltd and (c) UK Athletics. [107838]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 31 January 2000]: Stadium Australia, which I understand has minimum C60 sightlines based on a focal point on the outside edge of the outside line around the whole track, has set the 733W current benchmark for quality of sightlines required for the Olympics. This was acknowledged by the Wembley design team at the recent Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry into Wembley. We were assured throughout the project that the new Wembley would be capable of being upgraded for Olympics. However, it became clear once we had seen the detailed proposals for Olympic configuration in early October last year, that Wembley did not meet this benchmark and brought into question the possibility of Wembley being the centrepiece of a future Olympic bid.
§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) of 25 January 2000,Official Report, column 163W, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the standards for the focal point and sight lines in the new Wembley Stadium with 80,000 seats in athletics mode are matched or exceeded by the other stadia in Europe with capacities in excess of 75,000. [107839]
§ Kate Hoey[holding answer 31 January 2000]: My Department has made no specific assessment of the Wembley proposals against other stadia in Europe. In respect of the Wembley proposals we were concerned to ensure that we did not rule out the possibility of a future Olympic bid. The report from Ellerbe Beckett along with evidence from the BOA and my officials who attended the Wembley National Stadium Ltd. mock up of the proposed seating, confirmed the inadequacy of the sightlines in 80,000 athletics mode.