§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)My right honourable friend the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
47WSLondon's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is focused on the Olympic Park in the lower Lea Valley. The London Development Agency submitted an outline planning application for the park and four ancillary applications to the Joint Planning Authorities Team (representing Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest London boroughs) on 30 January 2004. Decisions on these, and any subsequent applications, are matters for the local authorities concerned. However, it is possible that decisions in relation to these applications could fall to be determined by me as First Secretary of State (either on appeal or if applications were to be called in). I and other Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have other policy responsibilities, including the delivery of development and regeneration in the Thames Gateway and the role that the London Olympics bid might play in achieving these objectives. In order to ensure that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Guidance on Propriety Issues in the Handling of Planning Casework is followed, I have decided that any planning decisions arising for the First Secretary of State in respect of development related to the Olympics bid will be dealt with by my honourable friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford. She will not be involved in any other matters relating to the Olympics bid.