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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
World Cup
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the economic benefits which will accrue to each nation of the UK as a result of the England World Cup 2006 bid being successful; what account was taken of such an assessment in granting Government assistance to the England World Cup 2006 bid; and if he will make a statement. [103752]
Kate Hoey: As the bid for the 2006 World Cup has been made by the English Football Association, and as all matches will be played in England if the bid is successful, no separate assessments of the economic benefits of holding the tournament in the Home Nations have been carried out. However, studies of the effects of major sports events held in the UK in the past strongly suggest that a successful bid will bring benefits to all parts of the UK. Sport England took account of these studies, together with analyses of the economic effects of previous World Cup tournaments, in considering its grant to the FA in support of the bid.
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the cost of Government expenditure and support since 1997, other than in grants and loans, for the England World Cup 2006 bid. [103755]
Kate Hoey:
The Government are fully committed to supporting the Football Association's bid for the 2006 World Cup, and Sport England has earmarked £3 million in grant-in-aid to the bid. Direct costs to the Government have arisen in respect of the previous Minister of Sport's visits to a number of countries in support of the bid. The cost of these visits was £102,780, although some other Government business was also conducted. Mr. Banks's duties as Special Envoy to the bid have involved further overseas visits, the costs of which are principally being met by the FA and by sponsorship, although the Government are making a contribution to these costs.
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Mr. Wyatt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Sport England will publish its full accounts on its contribution to the FA (FIFA) World Cup 2006 bid. [104169]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 10 January 2000]: Sport England made an award of £3 million in 1998 in respect of the Football Association's bid for the 2006 World Cup. In accordance with the Accounts Direction for Sport England's National Lottery Distribution Accounts, that award was reflected within the overall totals for grant commitments in the annual accounts for 1998-99. To date, Sport England has paid £1,328,404 to the Football Association in respect of the bid. This and future payments in respect of the bid will be included in the overall totals of commitments met in Sport England's accounts.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment Sport England has made of the proposals for the English National Stadium at Wembley put forward by Wembley National Stadium Ltd. regarding the proposals' compliance with the Lottery Funding Agreement concluded between them. [104335]
Kate Hoey
[holding answer 10 January 2000]: While Sport England were satisfied that Wembley National Stadium Limited (WNSL) and the Football Association had complied with the technical requirements of the Lottery Funding Agreement, the solution for athletics was not ideal. The DLA Ellerbe Beckett report raised serious concerns about the proposed solution for athletics in terms of the practicality and cost. Further discussions between my Department and all interested parties concluded that athletics should be removed from Wembley.
Sport England, the Football Association and WNSL are currently considering whether amendments are necessary to the existing Lottery Funding Agreement to reflect Wembley's new role as the centrepiece for football and rugby league in England. In the light of the prospective agreement, the Football Association has proposed that £20 million be returned to Sport England.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions his Department has had with Sport England over the handling of the money agreed to be refunded by the developers of Wembley Stadium; and if these funds will be held separately; [105348]
(3) how much of the money due to be repaid to Sport England has been received to date from the developers of Wembley Stadium; [105349]
(4) on what date Sport England expects full payment of the money agreed to be refunded by the developers of Wembley Stadium. [105350]
Kate Hoey:
As signatories to the Lottery Funding Agreement, it is for Sport England, the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. to agree
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the details in respect of the proposal to return £20 million of the Lottery award. Discussions are currently ongoing and a further announcement will be made in due course.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of (a) customer awareness of the London Freedom Pass and (b) uptake of the Pass. [105018]
Janet Anderson:
This Department has made no direct assessment of customer awareness of the London Pass or its uptake. However, we understand that there has been widespread national and international media coverage about the London Pass since its launch on 10 November last year. Information about the pass is also available through British Tourist Authority and London Tourist Board publicity. The pass is purchased from a private company and currently allows free entry to 43 attractions in the capital.
The producers of the pass predict first year sales figures of 100,000 and they say that advance sales are looking healthy. We hope that the pass will widen access to a range of attractions and leave visitors to London more satisfied and ready to return again.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many opera performances have been cancelled by the Royal Opera House since the publication of the new season's programme; and at what estimated cost in lost revenue income. [105339]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 17 January 2000]: The Royal Opera House has cancelled nine performances of opera since the opening season was announced in January 1999. I understand the overall loss to the Royal Opera House of the nine cancelled performances is estimated at £243,115 when the value of lost revenue is offset by savings in expenditure. The Royal Opera House's contingency budget will accommodate this loss.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to provide support for the creation of running tracks in each district authority area. [105545]
Kate Hoey:
The majority of Government money specifically allocated to sport and active recreation is channelled through Sport England, an independent body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which, within an overall policy framework set by the Department, dispenses these funds according to its own detailed policies and priorities.
Sport England is also responsible for overseeing the Sports Lottery Fund. Last year, it published its Lottery Strategy document which sets out the broad strategic framework within which it will distribute Lottery money to sport over the next ten years.
Sport England's Lottery Community Projects capital fund will invest £115 million per year between 1999-2000, with £21 million earmarked for projects
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requiring under £100,000, and will inject a total investment of £1.115 billion over the next ten years to sports capital projects, which could include running tracks, making a significant contribution to the sporting life of communities.
Local authorities may apply for Sports Lottery Funding for specialist facilities, such as running tracks, with the support of the governing body, UK Athletics, through the National Athletics Facilities Strategy.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to increase the number of running tracks in Lancashire. [105546]
Kate Hoey:
My right hon. Friend has no plans to increase the number of running tracks in Lancashire. The existing number of running tracks in Lancashire fully meets the requirements of Sport England's National Athletics Facilities Strategy, which was produced in partnership with the athletics governing body, UK Athletics.
However, we would both welcome any proposals for further investment in the sporting infrastructure in Lancashire to ensure that every community has access to as wide a range of facilities as possible, and that the opportunities to use them exist for everybody.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of the offer to adapt the City of Manchester Stadium to accommodate the British National Athletics Stadium; and if he will make a statement; [105550]
(3) if he will make a statement on his plans for a British national athletics stadium. [105502]
Kate Hoey:
Following the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 20 December 1999, Sport England has, together with UK Sport, UK Athletics, the British Olympic Association (BOA) and my Department undertaken further work on the non-Wembley options for staging international athletics events. Sport England is taking forward further work to establish the viability of possible alternative venues although the final decision on timing and location of bids for the 2005 World Athletics Championship and a UK Olympic bid, rests with UK Athletics and the BOA respectively, Although a final decision has yet to be made and no options have been ruled out, both UK Athletics and the BOA consider that the strongest option for a successful bid would be to base it in London. The BOA is therefore conducting a feasibility study of a possible future London-based Olympic bid, which they will submit to Government in the next few months.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action his Department has taken to identify potential sites for a national athletics stadium. [105346]
Kate Hoey:
Following the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, Sport England has, together with UK Sport, UK Athletics, the BOA
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and my Department undertaken further work on the non-Wembley options for staging international athletics events.
(2) if Sport England has received any funds due to be returned to his Department in respect of failure by the developers of Wembley Stadium to provide adequate athletics provision; [105347]
(2) when he intends to announce his decision on the location for a British National Athletics Stadium; and if he will make a statement; [105501]
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