Clause 8 - Olympic Transport Plan
London Olympics Bill
4:15 pm
Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
I have heard some rubbish in my time, but what the hon. Gentleman has just said takes the biscuit. Here we are, yet again, trying to work in partnership to deliver the Bill. We are trying to be helpful, and all he can do is criticise. I will instruct my officials in future to give minimum advice and help to hon. Members such as the hon. Gentleman. He is unduly critical. He is absolutely right about the answer that I am going to give him: the ODA is allowed to consult anybody that it wants to. We are trying to be helpful, illustrating who we believe to be the important bodies to consult. That does not debar anyone who wants to be consulted.
I honestly think that the hon. Gentleman is unduly critical of my officials, who are trying to be extremely helpful. They are good officials and want to try to help to inform the Committee throughout the drafting of the Bill and to make sure that it works efficiently and effectively for our nation, and all we get from the Liberal party is criticism. I hope that he will reflect on what he has said and withdraw the amendment. I assure him that the ODA can consult whom it wants to. In future, we will have to think carefully about who we say that it has to consult so that we do not allow such stupidity of debate to take place in Committee.