London Olympics Bill

It is a great pleasure to take part in a debate that is so welcomed in all parts of the House. The hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) asked the Minister to explain what was meant by ““discreet””, but I rather think that in this instance, it means specific and is spelt slightly differently. It is a palpable pleasure that the UK has won the bid for the Olympics, and I add my congratulations to those offered to Lord Coe and his team and, indeed, to the Government. As one who participated in the debate to persuade the Secretary of State that perhaps we ought to back the Olympic bid, I am delighted that London and the UK have secured it. There has been a great transformation, in that the Scottish National party also welcomes the successful bid—[Interruption.] The hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart), who conceded the point, should know that anybody who can train to sail on the Clyde will find it easy to win gold medals on the channel at Weymouth. I welcome our securing the bid, the boost to sport and the interest that the young are already displaying in the Olympics and in the challenge of getting involved. It is they who will be the medal winners in a few years’ time, and we all share their palpable enthusiasm—exemplified by what happened in West Ham on the night of the bid. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I chaired a health authority that covered the boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham, so I am well aware of the deprivation in that part of world. Having visited the Lea valley, I can only congratulate those who had the vision to see the opportunity that the east end now has—as, indeed, does the whole of London. Today is the time not to carp and criticise—none of us wants to do that—but to ask questions to ensure that we establish the basis for a truly successful games. If the Minister cannot answer my questions today, I hope that he can answer them in Committee. We have talked at length about the Olympic delivery authority that the Bill sets up, which is chaired by the Mayor of London and has a limited membership. I hope that among that limited membership there will be a chief executive of the calibre to deliver such a complex and enormous operation as the Olympics will be. I also hope that there will be a project director used to delivering complex construction projects on time and at cost. One of my particular concerns is potential difficulties in the planning system that might delay construction. My right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) enunciated the difficulty of working out to whom the ODA will be accountable. The Secretary of State indicated that she would appoint the members. We have expressed a desire that the House should have an annual debate, with the Public Accounts Committee or a Select Committee being able to take evidence on progress, but that still would not answer who is ultimately responsible for delivery. Responsibility is diffuse at present. Does the London Assembly have any powers or ability to question the ODA, or to manage its overall criteria? Who will be able to remove under-achieving members of the ODA? Is it the Secretary of State or the Mayor? How will we judge whether someone is or is not doing a good job? A complex structure is emerging, as the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) pointed out when he said that he wanted clear lines of responsibility. We need, as soon as possible, to see an organisational structure. The number of organisations already involved could lead to complex relationships. Unless carefully managed with clear lines of responsibility, that could lead to confusion.