§ Mr. Alasdair MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the official engagements carried out by Ministers in support of the England World Cup 2006 bid, indicating the cost to his Department of the support given. [103863]
§ Kate HoeyThe Government have offered their full support to the Football Association's bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2006, and various Ministers have hosted a number of receptions on behalf of the bid team. All the receptions hosted by Ministers from his Department were at the expense of the FA bid team.
My predecessor also undertook a number of overseas visits relating to the bid where his expenses were paid for by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. These are as follows:
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Date Venue Purpose Total cost £ 21–23 March 1998 Tunisia World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 0.000 26–29 March 1998 Paraguay\Argentina World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 8,786 19–22 April 1998 Qatar World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 9,150 10–11 June 1998 France World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 379 10–11 July 1998 Paris Reception at French Embassy by FIFA 1,218 27–29 August 1998 Monte Carlo Salle Def Etoiles—SCMC UEFA Gala dinner 564 1–2 September 1998 Switzerland Meeting with President Samaranch and Sepp Blatter 964 5–6 October 1998 Spain World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 1,301 23 October 1998 France Council of Europe Hearing of Bosman Ruling 421 1–5 November 1998 Cameroon\Mali World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 6,283 12–13 November 1998 Malta World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 45 17 March 1999 Brussels 2006 Bid Meeting 537 22 April-1 May 1999 Nigeria\Botswana\Johannesburg World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 8,922 7–8 May 1999 Malta 2006 plus UK\Malta Sports Week 1,035 25 May-27 June 1999 Barcelona Championships League Cup Final plus 2006 294 14–17 June 1999 Qatar World Cup Campaign for 2006 with FA 4,530 6–13 July 1999 Washington, USA 2006 with Anti Doping Discussions 11,040 Total 102,780 Although most of the receptions and visits were specifically related to the 2006 bid, some also encompassed the promotion of British sport as a whole, and fulfilled the duties of the Minister for Sport in this area.