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Picketts Lock
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if Her Majesty's Government will recompense the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for the costs it incurred in respect of the athletics stadium at Picketts Lock; and if she will make a statement. [10151]
Mr. Caborn: Ann Roberts, the Chair of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 12 October about this. We will give very careful consideration to her letter. >
Athletics Facilities
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will discuss with Scottish Ministers the locating of national athletics facilities for the United Kingdom in Scotland. [10149]
Mr. Caborn: The question of whether there should be national athletics facilities needs to be determined by UK Athletics' own long-term strategic objectives. A long term development plan for athletics in this country is being developed by UK Athletics in discussion with Sport England and my Department.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what stadiums there are in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) London capable of holding international athletics events under the auspices of the IAAF. [11018]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 29 October 2001]: The IAAF have a variety of different international track, road, indoor and cross country events with different technical requirements. Four stadiums have hosted the IAAF Grand Prix and the AAA National Championships in recent years: London—Crystal Palace; Birmingham—Alexander Stadium; Sheffield—Don Valley; and Gateshead—the >Gateshead Stadium. None of the venues is currently able to host the IAAF World Athletics Championships, however the Don Valley Stadium is fully capable of being converted to World Championships standard.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of United Kingdom sports medicine provision for international athletics; and if she will make a statement. [11021]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 29 October 2001]: The UK Sports Institute (UKSI) is currently setting up a network of world class facilities and services to elite athletes. There will be centres in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and a network of regional centres in England. Each centre will provide state of the art sports science and medicine facilities.
The Government, through UK Sport and Sport England, continue to fund the work of the National Sports Medicine Institute (NSMI). The Institute promotes good medical practice in the treatment of athletes at all levels, including adequate preparation for events and the importance of a sound diet for optimum health and performance.
In addition, the UKSI and NSMI work closely with the British Olympic Medical Centre (BOMC), based at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, on co-ordination and delivery of sports medicine and science services for elite athletes in the UK.
Following a monitoring report on their World Class Performance Plan, published at the start of 2001, and subsequent joint work between UK Athletics and UK Sport, UK Athletics commissioned an independent review of its sports medicine provision. Dr. Ken Fitch, who has undertaken significant reviews across the world, including the Australian Institute of Sport, was responsible for the review. The Minister for Sport recently met with UK Athletics and Dr. Fitch to discuss sports medicine provision for international athletics.
UK Athletics have just received Dr. Fitch's report and they will be putting together an action plan for the short, medium and long term to enhance their provision of sports medicine to athletes. The UKSI also contributed to the review and UK Sport will work in partnership with UK Athletics on the implementation of the review's recommendations.
Golden Jubilee
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received about plans for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. [9973]
Mr. Caborn: A number of representations have been received in support of widening the distribution of the Golden Jubilee commemorative medal to include other groups, particularly the police.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has made for the celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. [9972]
Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the announcements made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 23 November 2000, and 22 June 2001. Also >relevant is the joint Home Office and Ministry of Defence press notice of 15 February 2001, in which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the Golden Jubilee commemorative medal.
After taking on responsibility for the Golden Jubilee celebrations, I announced on 3 August 2001 details of the extended bank holiday 'Jubilee Weekend' over the period 1–4 June 2002. A copy of the press notice is in the Library of the House. The events include:
- Saturday 1 June
- Classical concert in Buckingham Palace Gardens.
- Sunday 2 June
- Jubilee church services and bell-ringing across the UK.
- Monday 3 June
- Pop concert in Buckingham Palace Gardens followed by beacon-lighting and firework display.
- Tuesday 4 June
- Ceremonial procession to St. Paul's and the National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's (morning).
- Lord Mayor of London hosts lunch at the Guildhall.
- Golden Jubilee carnival pageant in the Mall (afternoon).
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to allow school children free tickets to the Commonwealth games to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. [9998]
Mr. Caborn: The Commonwealth games are a commercial event, and the organisers have an imperative to sell all the available tickets. However, tickets for the games have been set at a level to ensure that people can afford them. Ticket prices start at £5 and over half of all tickets will be priced at £10 or less. Five events, the marathon, triathlon, walking, and mountain and road cycling will also be free.
Local school children will be taking part in the opening and closing ceremonies. Alongside the Commonwealth games the organisers, Manchester 2002 Ltd., are also organising the Sprit of Friendship Festival and Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay. These will offer a range of opportunities for school children to participate in the broader games programme and celebrate the Golden Jubilee.
Museum Attendance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the level of museum attendance was (a) last year, (b) this year and (c) projected for next year. [10186]
Dr. Howells: Total visitor attendance at those museums and galleries sponsored by my Department are as follows:
- 2000–01: 29.8 million actual outturn
- 2001–02: 27.6 million estimated outturn
- 2002–03: 29.7 million projected.
Olympic Games
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made >of the impact of the loss of the venue for hosting the World Athletics Championships on the future of an Olympic bid from the United Kingdom. [10180]
Mr. Caborn: The British Olympic Association has yet to decide whether to bid for the Olympic games in 2012, 2016 or later. My officials are currently discussing the prospects for such a bid based on London with the British Olympic Association, Greater London Authority, UK Sport and Sport England. Those discussions include the drafting of a consultancy proposal for a cost-benefit analysis of bidding for and, if successful, staging an Olympic games in London which would include an assessment of the chances of success of such a bid.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the cost to public funds of supporting a bid to host the 2012 Olympic games. [11023]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 29 October 2001]: The British Olympic Association has yet to decide whether to bid for the 2012 Olympic games. My officials are currently discussing the prospects for such a bid based on London with the British Olympic Association, Greater London Authority, UK Sport and Sport England. Those discussions include the drafting of a consultancy proposal for a cost-benefit analysis of bidding for and, if successful, staging an Olympic games in London which would include an assessment of the costs to public as well as private funds.
Community Fund
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to ensure equality among London boroughs for future distributions of awards by the Community Fund. [10228]
Mr. Caborn: The Government's commitment to ensuring that Lottery funding is fairly distributed is reflected in the changes made to Lottery distribution through the National Lottery Act 1998 and revised Policy Directions issued to distributors in the summer of 1998. Decisions concerning distribution of awards are a matter for the Community Fund.
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