§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will withdraw the departmental minute dated 2 December 2003, reporting contingent liabilities in the event of London winning the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games; [145521]
(2) if she will withdraw the policy of an unlimited funding commitment by the taxpayer to hosting the Olympic Games in the event that the cost exceeds £2.375 billion. [145522]
§ Tessa JowellNo. It is normal practice, under Government Accounting rules, for Departments to report contingent liabilities to Parliament. As I made clear in my statement to the House on 15 May 2003, the Government have given their wholehearted support to the Olympic bid, not least because of the benefits which would accrue to the entire country were we to be successful.