Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)

I beg to move amendment No. 74, in page 14, line 21, leave out

‘on other land or premises);’

and insert ‘elsewhere);’.

The amendment ensures that enforcement officers have the powers that they need to prevent unauthorised advertising. At present, clause 20(1)(a) gives enforcement officers the power to enter land in order to prevent unauthorised advertising—including land adjacent to the area where the regulations apply, where a projector has been set up to project images on to land or buildings within the regulated area. However, the clause presently excludes any right of entry or enforcement power where the projector does not project on to other land or buildings but into the sky. We need to close that loophole, so that enforcement officers are not left powerless to act against people who project prominent, unauthorised advertising into the night sky around the Olympic venues.

Hugh Robertson (Shadow Minister (Sport), The Family & Culture, Media & Sport; Faversham & Mid Kent, Conservative)

I have three quick questions for the Minister about this clause. The first is that, clearly, it governs the establishment of enforcement officers and their powers of entry. Is the Minister in a position to tell the Committee, on the basis of previous games, what size of enforcement—

David Amess (Southend West, Conservative)

Order. I advise the hon. Gentleman that if he wants to debate the clause, he will have an opportunity to do so on clause stand part. However, he must wait until the Minister has dealt with his amendment.

Hugh Robertson (Shadow Minister (Sport), The Family & Culture, Media & Sport; Faversham & Mid Kent, Conservative)

Thank you.

Hugh Robertson (Shadow Minister (Sport), The Family & Culture, Media & Sport; Faversham & Mid Kent, Conservative)

Thank you, Mr. Amess. There are three items on which we should welcome some assurance from the Minister. First, can he tell us, on the basis of the experience either in Athens or Sydney, what size the enforcement force will be? How many people are likely to be involved in it? Secondly, how precisely will it co-operate with the police in bringing prosecutions? Thirdly, I should like to confirm what I   was told at some stage in a briefing on the matter, that the force would be funded by LOCOG. Can the Minister confirm that, and that the cost will not fall on the London taxpayer?

Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)

I am not in a position this morning to answer those questions specifically, but I can write to the hon. Gentleman and ensure that all three answers are put on to the public record.