§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much sponsorship money has been raised for the Manchester Commonwealth Games and how much more needs to be raised to meet the target set. [148981]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyManchester 2002 Ltd. has to date announced some £18 million in commercial income for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester 2002 aim to raise income from a combination of sponsorship, television rights, merchandising and ticket sales to meet the operating costs of the Games. In addition, the sale of the Australian television rights to Channel 7 television has just been successfully negotiated. Further sponsorship deals are expected to be announced this month and Manchester 2002 Ltd. are working hard to ensure they stage a successful Games.