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10 Dec 2007 : Column 45W—continued
Budget
5. Mr. Vara: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent discussions she has had on the budget for the Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [172193]
Tessa Jowell: The Ministerial Funders Group met on 26 November and agreed funding for the Olympic Delivery Authority within the £9.325 billion provision I announced in March.
Since then I have had discussions with:
the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee;
the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee;
the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Culture spokesmen and
the president of the International Olympic Committee.
This morning, I presented a written statement to the House to update hon. Members on the budget for 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
British Olympic Association
6. Mr. Bone: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the contribution of the British Olympic Association to preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games. [172194]
Tessa Jowell: The British Olympic Association plays a key role in the preparations for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
The BOA is a member of the London organising committee, and its chairman, Lord Moynihan, is a member of the Olympic Board—the body responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of the games in 2012 and ensuring the games leave a lasting sporting and social legacy.
The BOA is also responsible for selecting and leading Team GB. It provides support to Britain’s Olympic athletes and works closely with national governing bodies and UK Sport to ensure the success of British athletes in 2012.
Scotland
7. Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will make a statement on the expected effect of the 2012 Olympics on Scotland. [172195]
Tessa Jowell: It was a cornerstone of our successful 2012 bid that hosting the games in London would bring fantastic opportunities to the whole of the UK. We are working closely with organisations across the country, through the nations and regions group, to maximise UK-wide benefits. Scotland will host football events at Hampden park, bringing tourism and other benefits. There will also be opportunities around the cultural olympiad, volunteering and the potential to win contracts and host training camps.
Olympic Games 2012: Finance
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics further to the permanent secretary’s evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday 15 November, what the Singapore commitments on mass participation sport costed in the Olympic budget are. [168213]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 26 November 2007]: As the permanent secretary said at the recent Public Accounts Committee on 14 November 2007, the £9.325 billion funding package for the Olympic and Paralympic games reflects commitments made in London’s candidate city file, at the time of the bid, particularly in relation to construction for the games and regeneration. The candidate city file, often referred to as ‘the bid book’, is available in the House Library.
The £9.325 billion funding package for the games, includes a £290 million contribution from the sport lottery distributors, which will be invested in maximising the benefit to British sport of hosting the games, through support of elite and community sport. The key areas of investment will be:
Programmes of support for elite athletes and coaches;
Development of facilities for elite and community use; and
Community programmes/projects for clubs, coaches and volunteers, to increase participation and improve performance.
The Government will publish a legacy action plan early in the new year, that will set out our commitments for the Olympic legacy, including for participation in sport, and how they will be delivered.
Olympic Games 2012: Training
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington of 22 November 2007, Official Report, columns 1034-35W, on Olympic Games 2012: training, how many of the 1,500 training places provided by the local employment and training framework for the Olympic Games are for (a) apprenticeships and (b) level (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3 and (iv) 4 qualifications. [169670]
Tessa Jowell: The initial focus of the local employment and training framework programme has been on basic employability and vocational skills based both on the needs of local people and those of the contractors currently employing the construction work force on the Olympic Park. The target for the financial year 2007-08 is 1,500 training places. Since its launch in January to September 2007, 1,169 training places have been offered, the vast majority of which were at level 1, with 13 above level 1. Information on places offered since then is not yet available.
The LETF is only one of a broad range of initiatives being undertaken by the Mayor’s London employment and skills taskforce for 2012, which is investing around £25 million per year in improving employment and training opportunities. LEST’s target is to reduce worklessness in London by 70,000 by 2012, including by 20,000 in the five east London host boroughs.
As part of this, the Prime Minister announced on 29 November a national constructions skills academy project on the Olympic park that would provide at least 1,000 job placements for people enrolled on local further education college construction courses, 1,000 other training placements for local people and more than 500 apprenticeship places.
Prime Minister
Chequers
Anne Main: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 25 July 2007, Official Report, column 1110W, to the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Gordon Banks), on Chequers, when he plans to update the list of guests entertained at Chequers on the Cabinet Office website. [171480]
The Prime Minister: A list of guests entertained at Chequers for the financial year 2006-07 is available at 25 July 2007, Official Report, columns 1110-11W.
Corporate Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has accepted corporate hospitality in the last 12 months. [171307]
The Prime Minister: Chapter 7 of the ministerial code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister how many people worked in No. 10 Downing street on (a) 1 May 2007 and (b) 1 December 2007, broken down by policy area; and if he will make a statement. [172785]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 October 2007, Official Report, columns 819-20W.
Public Sector: Ethics
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to foster and promote the public's trust in those in public life; what recent discussions he has had on the issue; with whom; what recent representations he has received about this issue; and if he will make a statement. [172407]
The Prime Minister: As announced at Prime Minister's questions and in the debate on “Standards of Conduct in Public Life” on 5 December, I have appointed a new chair of the Committee on Standards for Public Life. Sir Christopher Kelly has been appointed for a single fixed term of five years. I met the outgoing interim chair of the committee and her successor on Thursday 6 December.
“The Governance of Britain”, which is currently out for public consultation, sets out the Government's proposals to limit the powers of the executive, make the executive more accountable and reinvigorate our democracy. The Queen's Speech announced that proposals will be brought forward to renew the constitutional settlement and strengthen the relationship between the Government, Parliament and the people. In addition the ministerial code was updated in July.
Saudi Arabia
Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the Saudi Arabian Government; what topics were discussed; how long the meeting lasted; and when he next expects to meet such representatives. [171679]
The Prime Minister: Details of my meeting with the Saudi Arabian Government can be found on the No. 10 website at:
A copy of this webpage has been placed in the Library of the House.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peace Keeping Operation
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Lynx helicopters are available for service on a 24-hour basis throughout the year in Afghanistan. [172535]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1353W.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British helicopters are carrying out operations in Afghanistan. [172578]
Des Browne: I have nothing to add to the reply given by the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1353W.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many combat-related injuries requiring hospitalisation of service personnel in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq there have been since January 2001, broken down by the home constituency of such personnel; and if he will make a statement. [168063]
Derek Twigg: Casualty figures for Iraq and Afghanistan are published on the MOD website: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets. These are updated fortnightly, in arrears, and show explicitly the number of personnel who were admitted to UK field hospitals and categorised as wounded in action, including as a result of hostile action, as well as the numbers aeromedically evacuated on medical grounds, whatever the reason.
However, it is not possible to provide details of the home constituency of these personnel. To provide this information would involve disproportionate cost.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to acknowledge the contributions made by service personnel who have suffered injuries during service in Afghanistan and Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [168065]
Derek Twigg: It is recognised that the intensity of current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, coupled with the level of fatalities and wounded, has resulted in considerable public interest in how we recognise the contribution made by our servicemen and women. The military chiefs of staff keep this complex subject under constant review and they are the best placed to make recommendations on the way forward.
I and my fellow Defence Ministers visit injured personnel on a regular basis, both in field hospitals on operations, in UK hospitals and at our rehabilitation centre at Headley Court. Ministers and service chiefs regularly highlight the courage and sacrifice of those wounded in operations. Access to the wounded services personnel has also been given to the media on a number of occasions at Headley Court.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds have been fired by British forces in each Brigade rotation in Helmand province since May 2006, broken down by type of ammunition used. [168908]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The records held only start from 13 August 2006. All usage figures are approximate. The figures cover all rounds fired by British personnel in Afghanistan. There has been minimal usage outside Helmand province.
| Type of nature | Herrick 4 (August 2006 to October 2006) | Herrick 5 (October 2006 to April 2007) | Herrick 6 (April 2007 to October 2007) | Herrick 7 (October 2007 onwards) |
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