London Olympics Bill

I am grateful to the hon. Lady, if she is right about the bid team having appeared before the Assembly. It seems that we have two Assembly members in the Chamber, each giving a different view. Perhaps the hon. Lady and my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Pelling) would like to discuss the matter outside the Chamber. London now contains a number of elected bodies. The Assembly is elected, as are the London borough authorities and the Mayor. All elected bodies will have a role to play, and should be able to express their views and feel that their constituents’ interests are being served. I can tell the hon. Lady that there is a practical point to be made about both the boroughs and the Assembly. If the games are to be delivered, given the implications for the whole of London, all who have been elected to fulfil their various roles should be able to participate in consideration of how that delivery will be achieved. We are also concerned about the provision that gives the GLA even wider powers. Clause 32(2)(h) allows it to"““take action in respect of places outside London.””" I cannot believe that that is what the Government intended. I do not think I am the only Member who is alarmed to learn that the GLA will have powers to ““arrange . . . construction””,"““undertake works of any description””" and"““acquire land or other property””" anywhere in the country. That may not be what was intended, but those are the powers that the Bill gives the GLA. I ask the Secretary of State to look at the clause again and discuss it with the Local Government Association to ensure that, as representatives of local authorities across the country, its members are comfortable with it. We want to ensure that the benefits of the games are brought to the United Kingdom as a whole, although given my local interest I am pleased that the excellent facility at Dorney Lake has been chosen as the venue for the rowing. Of course it is not possible to bring Olympic events to towns and cities all over the country, but the games can attract tourists and visitors who may then wish to see more of what our country has to offer. I would be grateful if in due course the Secretary of State were to provide us with more guidance about how she intends to bring the benefits of the games to a wider audience. We should discuss the possibility of towns and cities offering training camps and sporting facilities to visiting athletes. Many hon. Members have intervened on behalf of constituency interests today and on the previous occasions on which we have discussed the Olympics. I am interested to hear what assistance the Government will give to local authorities which are interested in hosting training camps in their areas. We must not forget that the Paralympics is an important part of London 2012. My constituency benefits from an excellent sports association for the disabled, which counts among its members Paralympic medallists, including gold medallists. Up and down the country, talented athletes are watching what the Government do to promote and encourage them to capture British golds at the Paralympics. The Bill does not address that matter, but we expect the Government to provide greater clarity in due course about the resources to support competitors in the Paralympics. It is worth remembering the sense of joy and euphoria that was felt not only in London but across the UK when the announcement was made. Given the dark days that have followed, it is important to recall the power of this sporting occasion to lift and inspire the British people. The Olympics have the potential to bring a positive change to the whole of the country. It is now up to the Government to live up to that potential and deliver a lasting legacy by hosting the finest Olympic games that the world has ever seen.