Schedule 1 - The Olympic Delivery Authority
London Olympics Bill
9:45 am
Don Foster (Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Culture, Media & Sport; Bath, Liberal Democrat)
We see from the Bill that several bodies are to be established to ensure the delivery of the games in 2012. In fact, given that a complex matrix of organisations and bodies will be playing a range of different roles, communication and consultation among them will clearly be important. Several areas of consultation are referred to specifically under clauses 2, 8 and 18, such as the Secretary of State having to consult the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games when changing Olympic documents, the Olympic transport plan or making regulations in respect of advertising.
However, it seems slightly odd that there is no requirement in other areas to consult the body whose involvement in key decision making will be critical to the delivery of a successful games. We are proposing in this series of amendments that in key decisions about the operation of the ODA—such as appointments, dismissals, and the dissolution of the ODA—the London Organising Committee, or LOCOG, be consulted. It is odd that there are requirements for consultation in respect of some decisions, and no requirements for others. As the Committee has already seen, I am a generous man and I am sure that if the Minister were to tell the Committee that consultation would take place on all the matters to which I have referred, and put it firmly on the record, I am sure that that would suffice. That would help the Committee to get on with other equally important business. I look with anticipation to the Minister giving me that assurance, so that we can continue the rapid progress that we have begun this morning.