House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Eighth Report of Session 2008–09
Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence
Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 14 May 2009
HC 162 Published on 22 May 2009 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00
The Welsh Affairs Committee
The Welsh Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (including relations with the National Assembly for Wales).
Current membership Dr Hywel Francis MP (Labour, Aberavon) (Chairman) Mr David T.C. Davies MP (Conservative, Monmouth) Ms Nia Griffith MP (Labour, Llanelli) Mrs Siân C. James MP (Labour, Swansea East) Mr David Jones MP (Conservative, Clwyd West) Mr Martyn Jones MP (Labour, Clwyd South) Rt Hon Alun Michael MP (Labour and Co-operative, Cardiff South and Penarth) Mr Albert Owen MP (Labour, Ynys Môn) Mr Mark Pritchard MP (Conservative, The Wrekin) Mr Mark Williams MP (Liberal Democrat, Ceredigion) Mr Hywel Williams MP (Plaid Cymru, Caernarfon)
Powers The committee is one of the Departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk.
Publications The reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the internet at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/welsh_affairs_committee.cfm.
Committee staff The current staff of the Committee is Dr Sue Griffiths (Clerk), Georgina Holmes- Skelton (Second Clerk), Judy Goodall (Inquiry Manager), Anwen Rees (Inquiry Manager), Carys Jones (Committee Specialist), Christine Randall (Senior Committee Assistant), Annabel Goddard (Committee Assistant), Tes Stranger (Committee Support Assistant) and Rebecca Jones (Media Officer).
Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Welsh Affairs Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 6189 and the Committee’s email address is [email protected].
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 1
Contents
Report Page
Summary 3
1 Introduction 5 Background 5 Our Inquiry 5 Delivery Structure 5
2 Events and Training Venues 7 Events 7 Mountain biking and canoeing 7 Training Camps 9 Benefits of hosting pre-Games training camps 9 Marketing Wales 10 Australian Paralympic Team 11 Other countries 12 Hosting Capacity 12
3 Developing Sporting Excellence in Wales 14 Increasing participation in Wales 14 Funding 16 Facilities 18 Volunteers 20 Maximising Performance of Athletes 22 Élite Cymru 23 Regional Sports Institutes 24 Relationship with UK Sports 24 Funding 25
4 Disability Sports 26 Community Programmes 26 Academy Structure 27 Legacy of the Games 28 Support Framework 28 Inclusiveness 29 Social Legacy 30 Funding 30
5 Economic Benefits 32 Tourism 32 VisitBritain 33 Ryder Cup 34 Benefits for Businesses 35 Contracts 36 Supply Chain 37
2 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Marketing Rights 38
6 Cultural and Educational Benefits 39 Cultural Olympiad 39 Torch Relay 40 Welsh Language 41
7 Conclusion 43
List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament 51
Conclusions and Recommendations 44
Formal Minutes 49
Witnesses 50
List of written evidence 50
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 3
Summary
Our inquiry arose from our belief that any benefits of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games should be felt in Wales and not only in London and the South East of England. We cannot yet conclude whether Wales will benefit from the 2012 Games. Few events will be held in Wales and it is not predicted that Wales will benefit greatly from tourism generated by the Games. This will depend on the extent to which the Welsh Assembly Government, and tourism businesses in Wales can market Wales in the run-up to the Games. In terms of direct impact the Ryder Cup in 2010 will be of much more significance, and will provide an opportunity to raise the worldwide profile of Wales and also as a platform for promoting visits to Wales at the time of the 2012 Games.
Apparently conflicting messages regarding the status of the Games arise directly from the formal requirements of the International Olympic Committee. The bid has to come from the host city, but no city in the world can make a bid without the active engagement and commitment of the national government whose objectives will go wider than direct civic benefit. The Government argues that these are UK Games with UK benefits; however it has to respect the fact that these are London Games with events inevitably taking place mainly in the capital. An opportunity was missed in the original bid to locate events in Wales particularly in respect of mountain biking and canoeing — decisions which deny Wales a profile which plays to our strengths and make no sense in terms of the sports themselves or in terms of the UK’s profile world-wide in those sports. In retrospect, with the advent of the current period of financial uncertainty, it now seems misguided to build expensive new venues when such facilities exist in Wales.
It is certain that Lottery funding will be diverted from Wales to fund the Games, with a loss of an estimated £100 million. The designation of the Games as a UK-wide project means that Wales will not receive consequential funding for the money spent on regeneration in London. On the other hand it must be remembered that most parts of Wales have benefited from similar designation in the past, receiving money outside the Welsh Block and the Barnett Formula for specific projects. Loss of funding in the short term will have a long-term effect on grassroots projects with a reduction in the number of new facilities built and the possibility that it will not be financially possible to maintain current structures.
London’s successful bid was partly based on the Government’s commitment that economic opportunities would be felt by businesses across the UK. Whilst the Government has been proactive, launching the London 2012 Business Network and CompeteFor, there is little evidence that Welsh businesses have succeeded in seizing the opportunities to benefit. Welsh companies currently only account for 2% of all the total number of registrations on the CompeteFor network. We welcome the five supply chain contracts that have been awarded to Welsh companies and we are aware that this is still a small fraction of the business opportunities offered by the Games. It is vital that companies in Wales put themselves forward to win business, particularly during the adverse economic climate.
The most obvious benefit to Wales arises from the fact that the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London provide a unique opportunity to generate interest in sport amongst
4 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
children and young people. Disability sports is a great success story for Wales and the community programme ensures that there are opportunities for children and young people with disabilities. The academy structure ensures that talent is recognised and nurtured, and has had significant success. Other UK nations can learn from Wales’s success in this field.
The Cultural Olympiad provides an opportunity for Wales to promote learning and skills development, and to use sporting programmes to engage and inspire people. Wales must have the opportunity to contribute fully to UK-wide programmes. In particular, we strongly recommend that the route of the Torch Relay should include the Urdd Eisteddfod to be held in North Wales in 2012. It is important that all sections of Welsh society are engaged with the Olympics and Paralympics and its ideals.
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 5
1 Introduction
Background 1. On 6 June 2005 the International Olympic Committee awarded London the rights to host the 30th Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. The promise that the games would deliver a legacy for sport was a cornerstone of the London bid.
2. The Government’s legacy action plan, Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games,1 sets out the Government’s ambition to create a lasting legacy which would spread to all communities in the United Kingdom.
Our Inquiry 3. On 26 November 2008, we announced an inquiry into the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in Wales. Any benefits of the Olympics should be felt in Wales and not only in London and the South East of England. Our intention was to focus on three key areas:
• the potential for developing sporting excellence in Wales;
• the likely impact on businesses and on tourism in Wales; and
• the potential educational benefits in Wales.
4. As part of our inquiry, on 19 January 2009, we visited the Newport International Sports village, where we met past and present athletes and trainers, and discussed the achievements of Welsh Olympians and Paralympians, together with preparations for 2012. During this visit we took oral evidence from the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and the Sports Council for Wales. We also took oral evidence from Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, and Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government. At our second and final evidence session on 27 January 2009, we took oral evidence from the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, and Alan Bucknell, Deputy Director, UK-wide Legacy, Government Olympic Executive. Whilst oral evidence was taken in January, we have continued to receive written evidence and engage in discussions with the Wales Office and the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure this Report is up to date.
5. We are grateful to everyone who provided oral and written evidence to our inquiry and to those who arranged our visit to the Newport International Sports Village.
Delivery Structure 6. The Nations and Regions Group was established to ensure that the whole of the UK was involved in and benefited from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Chaired by London 2012 Organising Committee Board Member Charles Allen, the Nations and Regions
1 Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, June 2008
6 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Group is made up of 12 senior representatives from UK business and sport; one from each of the nine English regions and one each from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
7. Within Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government established the Wales Steering Group, chaired by Gareth Hall, Director of Economy and Transport, Welsh Assembly Government. This includes representatives from a range of key organisations in the public, private and third sectors. The Welsh Assembly Government’s Major Events Unit provides the secretariat and co-ordinates across Government and with external stakeholders.2 While this is a useful day-to-day mechanism we would have expected to see more evidence of Ministerial involvement and leadership on the part of the Welsh Assembly Government in view of the importance of seizing these opportunities for Wales.
8. In evidence to our inquiry, the Minister for the Olympics, Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, recognised that there was no formal and direct relationship between the Olympic Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government.3 She commented that there had been discussions between them when finalising the Lottery Agreement, but provided no further examples of direct contact. However she argued that the role of the Nations and Regions Group, on which the Welsh Assembly Government was represented, was “going to accelerate in its importance because of our commitment that these are UK Games in London,” and indicated that there were high levels of engagement via visits by the Olympic Delivery Authorities.4
9. We welcome the fact that Wales is represented on the Nations and Regions Group. However given the need to ensure that the benefits of the Olympics are maximised in Wales, we believe that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport should establish a direct relationship with the Welsh Assembly Government during the pre-Olympic period and facilitate representation and contact at each relevant point within the bureaucracy of the London Olympics. There is a need for Ministerial leadership as well as the engagement of officials and other representatives from Wales, and we urge the Wales Office to be pro-active in helping to achieve this and in facilitating contact at each relevant point in the highly-complex network of organisations engaged in the Olympic process.
2 Ev 62 3 Q 78 4 Q 80
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 7
2 Events and Training Venues
Events 10. A key element of the London bid was minimum travel for athletes. Owing to the compact nature of the 2012 Games, few events will be staged outside London. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games stated that “Hosting 2012 football provides an opportunity to showcase Wales in an Olympic context.”5 The Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated that the Government “was keen that Olympic competition should be appropriately distributed across the whole of the UK wherever possible.”6
11. Many of the witnesses however expressed their disappointment at this “limited involvement” in the 2012 Games, with so few competitions held in Wales.7 Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium will be used as an Olympic venue, and will host rounds of the football tournament. The Welsh Local Government Association stated that despite lobbying, the Olympic Delivery Authority “has flatly refused to locate any further Olympic events into Wales”.8
Mountain biking and canoeing 12. Witnesses expressed disbelief that events such as mountain biking and canoeing would not be held in Wales. The Welsh Local Government noted that a temporary facility for mountain biking was to be built in Essex at a significant cost when “small adaptions to existing mountain biking facilities in Neath Port Talbot could provide the necessary world- class provision for the Games at a fraction of the cost.”9 In addition, a new canoe slalom facility was to be built in Broxbourne, costing £35 million, when an Olympic standard course would be available in Cardiff by 2012. The Welsh Local Government Association was concerned by the cost to the taxpayer of building new facilities, when such facilities already existed in Wales.
13. The Minister for the Olympics defended the decision to hold the majority of events in London and stated that it had been taken in close consultation with the International Olympic Committee.10 In its written evidence, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport commented:
… whilst the International Olympic Committee (IOC) welcome the geographical spread of the football competition, they also demand a compact Games minimising the distance and travelling time between venue and the athletes village. It is the IOC’s
5 Ev 43 6 Ev 28 7 Ev 70 8 Ev 66 9 Ev 66 10 Q 86
8 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
experience the clustering of the venues in and around the host city helps to make a more successful Games.11
The Minister stressed the two main factors the International Olympic Committee took into account, when favouring a compact Games:
One is the wish of athletes to be part of the whole Olympic festival, and the extent to which they will live in the Olympic Village, they will be close to the venues and they will be part of the overall Olympic experience—some 10,500 of them […] The second is looking at the affordability: building a single athletes’ village rather than athletes’ villages associated with venues all round the UK.12
The Minister acknowledged that 2012 was “principally a London Games. We might all wish that the venues could be spread all round the UK so they would be the UK’s Games, but we would not have won the bid.”13
14. The Sports Council of Wales observed that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games had always been clear about their intention to locate the majority of events around London, and that this was explicit in the bid. However, it highlighted the experience of past Olympics, and in particular at the Beijing Olympics where the equestrian events had taken place 1200 miles away in Hong Kong.14 The Union of Welsh Independent Churches commented that Cardiff “was not much further from London than Weymouth and Portland, where the sailing competitions will be held.”15 However, the Minister stated that the degree of dispersal in China should not be overstated and was very specific and only involved two sports.”16
15. Due to the low number of Olympic events in Wales, the Welsh Sports Association commented that there was “a risk of possible lack of involvement in Wales.”17 The Welsh Local Government stated that “this is unlikely to create a real legacy or an opportunity for Wales to be seen as a core region delivering for the Games.”18
16. We welcome the fact that Wales will host some of the football tournament’s pool games. As this location was accepted by the International Olympic Committee, we can see no reason why further events could not be held in Wales. The original bid missed an opportunity to locate events in Wales and in this period of financial uncertainty it seems misguided for the Government to build expensive new venues for mountain biking and the canoe slalom when Wales already has highly suitable facilities for such events.
11 Ev 28 12 Q 89 13 Q 87 14 Q 6 15 Ev 56 16 Q 89 17 Ev 70 18 Ev 66
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 9
Training Camps 17. Although few events are being held in Wales, the excellent Welsh facilities available make it a good option for pre-Games training camps. In 2008, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games published a list of Pre-Games Training camps, based on an audit of elite sporting facilities across the UK. This identified venues in which teams and individuals could choose to prepare for London 2012. It identified 31 Olympic and 16 Paralympic facilities in Wales. The Minister for the Olympics believed that Wales could benefit through “opportunities to host visiting national Olympic committees, their teams and through the provision of training camps and acclimatisation and preparation facilities.”19
18. The facilities were assessed against strict technical criteria such as the ability to offer high quality sports training facilities, experience of hosting elite teams, comfortable but affordable accommodation, the ability to offer appropriate catering, good transport links, and access to a good hospital and good sports science facilities. The Guide was circulated to all National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committees, with each committee to be awarded £25,000 from a £9 million fund set up by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games which they could spend at the facility they chose from the guide. The Minister for the Olympics believed that:
… there is a very exciting role for Wales itself, either through the Assembly, through Members of Parliament or through local authorities, to do this promotion of the Welsh benefits and the attractiveness of Wales to visiting teams.20
Benefits of hosting pre-Games training camps 19. Witnesses identified the benefits that hosting pre-Games training camps could bring to Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government noted that:
… they provide the opportunity to raise the profile of the 2012 Games in Wales and the profile of Wales in the world through sustainable sporting, cultural and economic relationships with those countries that come to Wales.21
There are also potential economic benefits. For example, the British Olympic Association had directly invested £1 million in its preparation camp infrastructure on the Gold Coast prior to the Sydney 2000 Games, increasing to almost £1.5 million in Macau prior to Beijing 2008. As Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government stated, “That is a lot of money to be spent locally.”22
20. In its written evidence, the Welsh Assembly Government also identified the sporting and cultural benefits such links would bring;
19 Q 61 20 Q 92 21 Ev 62 22 Q 43
10 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
… local communities can experience engagement with Olympic and Paralympic athletes and coaches. Welsh athletes, coaches and school children will have the opportunity to interact and learn from international athletes and coaches.23
21. Witnesses identified the long-term benefits that could also be achieved, not “just a one- off so that somebody comes here for three or four weeks.”24 The Sports Council of Wales highlighted the fact that there were many national teams which would want to establish a long-term base due to the number of competitions that took place in Europe, such as the Commonwealth Games, World Cup tournaments and future Olympic Games:
… what we want is people not just to come here for a fortnight or three weeks before the Games start, we actually want people to start coming here in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and then afterwards in terms of basing themselves here, seeing Wales as their European base. There will be long-term impact, therefore, in terms of the economic benefits.25
Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government, recognised that encouraging foreign teams to train in Wales in advance of 2012 provided many opportunities:
… not only material benefits in terms of contracts and jobs and so on but also opportunities for local communities, local school children and young people and coaches to interact with these teams and make links that will benefit us in a far wider way than merely in the sporting context.26
Marketing Wales 22. The Sports Council for Wales says that it is working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government to promote Wales as a venue for pre-Games training. The First Minister had written to the President of Olympics and Paralympic communities around the world to invite them to consider Wales as a venue.27 The Welsh Assembly Government stated that it had appointed a dedicated Pre-Games Training Camp Manager, seconded from the Sport Council for Wales. David Evans had extensive experience in high performance sport, and had also worked on three successive British Olympic Association holding camps for the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, so “we have somebody in a national co-ordinating role who has experience of Olympic holding camps that is as good as anyone anywhere else in the UK.”28
23. The Welsh Local Government Association also indicated its willingness to ensure Wales gained the full benefit of pre-training camps. It noted that local authorities were responsible for a large number of the 31 accredited sites and were “keen to use any links
23 Ev 62 24 Q 13 25 Q 16 26 Q 43 27 Q43 28 Q 44
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 11
and contacts to attract countries to prepare here”.29 It was also eager to “work with the Welsh Assembly to look at their individual marketing opportunities, particularly the more sport specific venues in Mid and North Wales.”30
Australian Paralympic Team 24. The Australian Paralympic Team has already committed itself to using Wales for its pre-Games training camp—the first time it has put together an overseas preparation and holding camp strategy.31 Wales was the first nation to sign a contract with another nation’s athlete squad. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government, told us that this was not a one-off event for the 2012 Games. In addition to the 300 plus athletes and support staff to be based in Wales in 2012 there would be small teams of athletes based in Wales over the next four years:
In fact, small groups of athletes from Australia already experienced camp in Cardiff and in Newport – the cyclists have been here at the village in Newport and using the velodrome and some athletes have been based at the National Indoor Athletic Centre in UWIC.32
The Sports Council for Wales indicated that the Australian Paralympic team was looking at using Wales as a training base in the long term “not just for the Olympic Games but potentially for the Commonwealth Games, if things go well and future World Cups that they are holding in Manchester.”33
25. There are many benefits of having the Australian Paralympic team in Wales, with the Sports Council for Wales stating that it was already beginning to see the “reward to cross- cultural partnership with Australia.”34 The Federation of Disability Sports Wales highlighted the educational programmes it was beginning to share with the Australian Sports Commission, looking at how to be more inclusive within disability sport.35 In addition, as the Welsh Local Government Association commented, “the Australian Paralympic team’s education programme includes 1,400 primary schools which could link with every primary school here in Wales.”36 There have also been discussions regarding coaching programmes with the possibility of an exchange system for staff to learn from each other and to improve the Paralympic network. The Federation of Disability Sports Wales stated, “ We see huge benefits to working with Australia in terms of the forthcoming Games.”37
29 Ev 66 30 Ev 66 31 Q 13 32 Q 44 33 Q 13 34 Q 13 35 Q 13 36 Ev 66 37 Q 13
12 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Other countries 26. The Federation of Disability Sports Wales has been in advanced discussions with New Zealand regarding using Wales as the venue for its training camp. It saw the benefits of attracting “the oceanic group, Australia, New Zealand and the islands to come to Wales and there may be a couple of other senior countries such as possibly South Africa or possibly Canada.” 38
27. Arthur Emyr highlighted the effective contacts made with the Slovakian Olympic Committee. He recognised that as the Olympic gold medallist in canoe slalom in Beijing was Slovakian, and with the new white water canoe slalom due to be completed in Cardiff Bay in 2010, that “may be an opportunity for us.”39
Hosting Capacity 28. The Sports Council for Wales recognised that there was a need to consider issues of capacity regarding the pre-Games training camp, saying “the last thing we want is a situation where we have some of the British team crowded out because facilities have actually been give to some of our competitors.”40
29. Many UK athletes already base themselves in Wales, due to the presence of high performance centres.41 Three English Paralympic swimming medallists have relocated to Swansea, including the UK’s youngest ever gold medallist—13 year old Ellie Simmons. The British cycling team had based their holding camp at the Velodrome in Newport before the 2004 and 2008 games, and the sailing team had based its team building camp at Plas Menai.42 The Sports Council for Wales commented on its discussions with the British team:
One of the things that we are doing now is we are working very closely with the British team and saying you have first call on this, you tell us exactly what you need and when so that we can actually block these out and then we can look to so-call sell the rest of the facilities.43
30. Wales’s first class facilities were rightly recognised and included in the list of pre- Games training camps. We hope that the Government will continue to make every effort to publicise the facilities that exist in Wales and to encourage foreign teams to base themselves in Wales during the pre-Olympic period. Welsh Members of Parliament and the Wales Office can also play a role in this process. We congratulate the Welsh Assembly Government, the Wales Office and sporting organisations in Wales for the progress they have already made in promoting Wales and its facilities and would urge continued lobbying particularly for increased use of Welsh facilities.
38 Q 14 39 Q 44 40 Q 15 41 Swansea University for swimming and triathlon; UWIC for athletics; Newport for cycling 42 Ev 47 43 Q15
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 13
31. The Welsh Assembly Government is making efforts to ensure that foreign Olympic and Paralympic teams are aware of the facilities available in Wales. The benefits Wales can enjoy from hosting foreign teams are economic, sporting and cultural, and could establish Wales as an European base camp for the many competitions based in Europe. It is important that a co-ordinated and planned approach is agreed between local authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government so that the number of training camps in Wales is properly managed. Care must be taken to ensure that UK athletes are not disadvantaged and are still able to use the facilities. We also see a role for MPs and AMs to join with the Secretary of State and First Minister to promote such engagement and would be pleased to explore with all parties how the Committee can most usefully be involved.
14 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
3 Developing Sporting Excellence in Wales
Increasing participation in Wales 32. Sport is a devolved matter. The Minister for Heritage has policy responsibility for sport and the Communities and Culture Committee of the Assembly has a scrutiny role. In February 2009, the Welsh Assembly Government published its sport and physical activist strategy, Climbing Higher,44 which set out its long-term strategy for sport and physical activity.
33. This policy is delivered through the Sports Council for Wales, an Assembly Sponsored Body with responsibility for:
• increasing participation in sport by children, young people and adults; and
• raising standards of performance and excellence in Welsh Sport.45
34. One of the ambitions stated by the UK Government when it won the Olympic bid was to transform the lives of a generation of young people through sport. Many of the witnesses commented that the successful Olympic bid in London provides the United Kingdom with a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to promote sport. 46 The Olympic Games are a unique sporting event and it was recognised that they generate interest amongst individuals and organisations that might not necessarily be seen in the context of any other sporting event. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government, commented, “That is potentially quite a powerful dynamic, and potentially a powerful catalyst.”47 In its written evidence, the Sports Council for Wales stated:
The 2012 Games will receive saturation media coverage particularly before and during the Games. Although its influence will be on the whole population, the major impact will be on children and young people who will have their imagination excited and their horizons broadened. Never before will children in the United Kingdom have experienced an equivalent ‘advertising campaign’ for sport.48
35. Harnessing that enthusiasm and converting it into an increased participation in sport requires clear leadership, careful planning and maximum effort.49 Witnesses commented that it was necessary to ensure that the opportunities existed for children to be introduced to sport, to have the opportunity to regularly participate in sport, and to ensure that the necessary sporting facilities existed. The Welsh Local Government Association stated:
As a result of the Games in four years time, there is a real opportunity to elevate sport in schools and communities over the next four years, and to ensure that the interest
44 Climbing Higher, Welsh Assembly Government, February 2009 45 Ev 47 46 Ev 70; also Ev 52 47 Q 51 48 Ev 47 49 Ev 52
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 15
created during the 2008 Olympics, the so-called ‘Beijing effect’ is fully explored and exploited.50
36. The Sports Council for Wales is currently responsible for two initiatives designed to encourage children to become involved in sporting activities. Dragon Sports is aimed at 7- 11 year olds and eight modified sports are involved in the scheme. It has had considerable success over the last decade, increasing the percentage of 7-11 year olds undertaking extra- curricular activity from 40% in 1998 to 84% in 2006. The participation in sports clubs in the same period has risen from 54% to 81%. 94% of primary schools now offer Dragon Sports, with a total of 148,000 participants in 2007. The second initiative, 5x60, aims to increase the number of secondary aged pupils taking part in sport or physical activity for 60 minutes, at least 5 times a week. This is currently offered to 98% of schools in Wales.51
37. The Welsh Local Government Association provided examples of where the London 2012 Games were being used as a catalyst to encourage greater participation in physical activity: Newport City Council, in partnership with the Local Health Board, had developed the Going for Gold programme, in which participants achieved bronze, silver and gold prizes; the Council had also celebrated the flag handover in the summer with an athletes event for young people as the culmination of community events which had been held throughout the summer.52
38. In order for the benefits of the Olympics to be maximised, the Sports Council for Wales commented that a “step change has to be achieved” in school sports.53 Although both Dragon Sport and 5x60 operated in nearly every primary and secondary school, the Sports Council for Wales recognised that the frequency of organised activity varied considerably across schools. Its stated aim was that by September 2012, every school should be offering Dragon Sport or Secondary School sport opportunities “not only between 4-6pm Monday to Friday, but also between 9 and 12 on Saturday morning,” with lunch time sport opportunities becoming the norm:
It is going to take us a while to get that rolled out into every night of the week, lunchtimes, weekends—we want to see mass participation in its true sense, not periodic participation […] that is what the Olympics gives us the profile to actually do, to keep on saying this is an important issue...54
39. Witnesses highlighted the need for local partners to work together to establish an environment in which children had access to sports and facilities, and recognised that this had not always taken place in a consistent format.55 The National Framework for Junior Sport was established to ensure an integrated approach to the development and delivery of programmes and activities. As the Sports Council for Wales stated, the aim was to develop an infrastructure for Wales:
50 Ev 66 51 Ev 47 52 Ev 66 53 Ev 47 54 Q 19 55 Q 19
16 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
It is not about running around trying to develop one-off events here and there, it is important that we have that structure and system in place so that not only can people participate in 2012, but in 2013, 2014 and 2015 as cohorts of young people and adults go through the system.56
40. The London Olympics and Paralympics provide a unique opportunity to promote sport in Wales. While we recognise the success already achieved in increasing the children’s participation in sporting activities, the frequency of organised activity varies across schools in Wales. In order for this enthusiasm to be translated into a grassroots sporting legacy, an infrastructure must be developed to allow children and young people access to regular involvement in sports and physical activities. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to establish a strategic approach working with other stakeholders, such as schools, local authorities, leisure facilities, and to provide effective co-ordination of all parties.
Funding 41. The overall budget for the London Olympics and Paralympics is £9.325 billion, with the Lottery contributing 23%, the Exchequer (UK taxpayer) contributing 64%, and the remainder being contributed by London. Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, recognised that this would lead to a total of £65 million of Lottery funding being diverted away from Wales in order to fund the Games, although she stated that “it is a figure which recognises the fact that for the period of the Olympic Games there is a good cause”.57
42. A common feature of lottery grant applications is matched funding. This refers to finance or commitments from other sources put forward as a contribution to the eligible costs of projects to be funded by the lottery, and can either come from private or public sources such as central or local government or non-profit making organisations. The Minister acknowledged that the figure of £65 million of funding to be diverted away from Welsh projects did not take into account the leverage value of the money, and was specifically related to lottery funding.58 Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government, estimated that the final loss to Wales could therefore be significantly higher:
… it could be as high as £100 million because the initial lottery funding often brings in other cash as well and many of these projects simply will not be there.59
43. The Sports Council for Wales commented that this projected fall was not fully the result of the establishment of the Olympic and Paralympic Games:
… the money that has actually being taken out of the sport lottery over the years has been taken out as a result of various government policies: for example, the
56 Q 12 57 Q 69 58 Qq 74-75 59 Q 34
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 17
establishment of the New Opportunities Fund first of all, then UK Sport becoming a lottery distributor and then the establishment of the Olympic lottery distributor.60
44. Witnesses stated that Wales could be disadvantaged by the staging of the 2012 Games in London, rather than gaining any benefits, as money and grants would be focused on London.61 The Sports Council for Wales indicated that the loss of funding meant they had not been able to introduce any additional programmes.62 The Minister for Heritage, in the Welsh Assembly Government recognised that the reduction in finances available had resulted in fewer capital projects proceeding, affecting the ability of local clubs to improve their infrastructure, which was “obviously a serious blow”.63
45. The Welsh Local Government Association took the view that:
… the jury is still out on whether the London 2012 Olympics and its various opportunities will out-deliver on the cuts felt in Wales to lottery funding to sport, culture and heritage funds […] the feeling on the ground is that we will continue to ‘pay’ for the games for many years after the event, and that the top slicing of the current lottery pot will have a longer effect than originally believed.64
46. The Minister for the Olympics gave assurances that there would be no further call on the Lottery beyond that which has already been announced, and that any additional funds required would come from the Contingency Fund. It was observed that once the Olympic Park was sold after the Games, there would be a return to the Lottery “of up to £675 million.”65 This was on the basis of a revised Memorandum of Understanding between Government and the Mayor of London, dated June 2007.66 This money would be returned to the London Development Agency, who would be reimbursed for the purchase cost and the costs incurred in remediating and clearing the Olympic Park land, and secondly to the Lottery, which would be repaid over time. The money would be returned to the Lottery distributors in the same proportion in which it was diverted.67
47. The Sports Council for Wales noted that the Welsh Assembly Government is investing significantly more in the sports budget for the next three years. While this will not compensate for the loss of lottery funding, it had assisted in resourcing current programmes. It was acknowledged that these funds had come from the Assembly’s block grants, having been diverted from other priorities.68
48. Alun Ffred Jones AM challenged the designation of the Olympics and Paralympics as a UK-wide project and argued that they were a London Games, with money being spent on
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18 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
regenerating east London.69 This designation had important funding consequences for Wales. Designating the Olympics as a UK project, in contrast to an English regeneration project, meant that the National Assembly would not be entitled to a Barnett consequential i.e. extra funding for Wales under the Barnett Formula.70 In evidence the Minister said “If that is regeneration money then we believe and the Government in Wales believes that there should be a balance consequential to that.”71 This remained a “bone of contention,” with the Welsh Assembly Government having put their argument to the Treasury but “we have not succeeded in persuading them to part with the dosh”.72
49. We are concerned by the amount of lottery money being diverted away from Wales due to the Olympics, and the resulting funds that we will be lost in matched funding. This will have a long-term impact on grassroots sporting projects.
50. The designation of the Olympics as a UK-wide project means that Wales will not receive consequential funding for the money spent on regeneration in London. On the other hand it must be remembered that most parts of Wales have benefited from similar designation in the past, receiving money outside the Welsh Block and the Barnett Formula for specific projects. The regeneration of South Cardiff associated with the construction of the Cardiff Bay Barrage is a case in point as is the UK contribution to Objective 1 in Wales. We ask for a clear commitment by the Government that, following the Olympics and Paralympics, a share of the reimbursed money will be returned to Wales, the rest of the UK and the English regions and that Lottery funding will be restored to their previous levels.
Facilities 51. Funding is a significant issue in ensuring that Wales does not lose rather than gain from the Olympics. Wales has world class facilities at a national and regional level: the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff; the Wales National Pool in Swansea and three regional pools; the Wales National Velodrome; and national and regional centres across a number of sports such as athletics, swimming and golf.
52. Witnesses highlighted the need to ensure ongoing investment in these facilities. Huw Jones, Chairman of the Sports Council for Wales, commented:
Our challenge over the next three or four years is to make sure that our partners […] actually have the finance and the priority to ensure that they maintain those facilities. We do not want a situation whereby in two or three years time Newport is saying this velodrome that we built here is fantastic, but we have not got the money to redo the track and we are going to have to close it. That really would be a disaster for us, so those are ongoing challenges.73
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Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 19
The Welsh Local Government Association was hopeful that enthusiasm generated would result in the prioritisation for funding for enhancing and maintaining facilities “which has deteriorated across the country due to lack of investment and a relatively low priority given to sport and leisure as a non-statutory service.”74
53. There was concern that facilities at a grassroots level would not be available to satisfy the interest in sport generated by the Olympics. As the Welsh Sports Association commented:
There is going to be a reduction in capital spending over the next 4 years as a result of reduced lottery grant money. It will be a great shame if people, especially children, want to take up sport but because of a lack of readily available and accessible facilities are unable to do so.75
This view was endorsed by other witnesses. Sports Council for Wales commented:
There is no point increasing junior membership in clubs which have already achieved their membership threshold because they are unable to increase access to facilities. (This is currently the situation in sports such as gymnastics and swimming).76
Fields in Trust also stated, “Currently 18 playing fields are under threat in Wales and many areas do not meet minimum recommended levels of provision”.77
54. Witnesses expressed the need to ensure that people had easy and affordable access to facilities. The Welsh Sports Association suggested establishing a two-way link between schools and communities, whereby school facilities could be used by the public during out of school hours, and coaches would be able to identify talent in schoolchildren and provide elite training.78
55. Swim Wales recognised the efforts made by the Welsh Assembly Government, which had developed Europe’s first free swimming programme, but expressed concerns about the survival of swimming clubs. It identified the difficulty they had in obtaining appropriate pool time at an affordable hiring charge, with commercial priorities often taking precedence.79 This view was supported by the Welsh Sports Association which suggested that “Pressure needs to be brought on Local Authorities to make realistic charges to local sports clubs for use of their facilities. It appears that some local authorities see this as a way of making money to the detriment of Welsh sport.”80
56. The Sports Council for Wales did not foresee a permanent legacy of facilities coming from the 2012 Olympics. The key venues in Wales had already been built and developed.81
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Swim Wales highlighted the provision of four temporary 50m by 8 lane training pools that were due to be set in the Eton Park Manor area in the north of the Olympic Park, to be used by athletes during the Games. They contended that, following the Olympics, these could be sold to partners, thereby increasing facilities around the UK.82 We suggest that the Secretary of State for Wales, in conjunction with the First Minister, presses the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to give to Wales a 50m by 8 lane pool once the Olympic and Paralympic Games have finished, thereby increasing the sporting facilities in Wales.
57. Wales currently has world class facilities at a national and regional level and we recognise the priority that their development has been given by the Welsh Assembly Government. However we are aware that as a non-statutory service, the funding of sporting facilities may not always remain a priority. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure ongoing investment to maintain and enhance these facilities in order that Wales is able to take advantage of the increased interest in sport generated by the Olympics.
58. It is important that sporting facilities are accessible and affordable for the people of Wales. We urge the Welsh Assembly Government to work with Local Authorities, recognising where support could be given to improve access for sporting clubs and individuals.
Volunteers 59. Volunteers are vital for every sports club and dedicate hours of time and energy working in a variety of ways. Without them, most sports clubs and associations would cease to exist. Witnesses expressed concern regarding the number of skilled coaches in Wales. The Welsh Sports Association commented:
… Governing bodies are encountering some difficulties in recruiting applicants particularly at Level 2 and above. Most of the Governing Body coaches in Wales are volunteers and the time commitment together with some financial constraints associated with the higher levels discourage many potential coaches.83
60. Swim Wales highlighted the development programme established by the swimming profession, UK Coaching Framework, which put in place a development programme based on recognised qualifications. It stated, “Swimming is currently a trailblazer at the forefront of this development framework, which is strengthening the quality of the delivery of swimming teaching and coaching”.84 It also described the career pathway and examination structure established for technical officials and all disciplines, which led to a British qualification. This had led to a standardised qualification and development programme.
61. Witnesses commented on how London 2012 had brought into focus the lack of volunteers in Wales, and that there currently existed an ageing volunteer base. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, stated “The vast majority of voluntary sports
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Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 21
clubs in this country are run by people who are now getting into their sixties and seventies.”85 The Welsh Sports Association observed the lack of training opportunities in colleges in Wales for volunteers, and commented that funding in Wales was much lower than it was in England.86
62. There is currently a shortage of volunteers in Wales, and many sports have no recognised development scheme. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to work with sporting organisations to develop a programme with recognised qualifications and to ensure that there is sufficient funding for training courses in colleges in Wales.
Criminal Records Bureau Checks 63. The Welsh Sports Association highlighted the barriers that existed for those wishing to become volunteers. Difficulties were encountered regarding Criminal Records Bureau checks, where individuals had to undergo multiple checks for each coaching or volunteer position.87 This issue was also raised by Philip Carling, Chairman of the Sports Council for Wales:
It is not that we are against [CRB checks] at all but if a teacher teaches in Bassaleg School and then coaches on a Sunday morning in the tennis club and then coaches gymnastics on a Wednesday afternoon, he or she will need three different checks, […] That is actually a very big bar on volunteers or a very big obstacle to volunteers when they first come in.88
Both the Sports Council of Wales and Welsh Sports Association indicated their preference for “one portable CRB [Criminal Records Bureau] check”.89
64. Coaches and volunteers are vital to grassroots sports and elite sports. However, the need for multiple Criminal Records Bureau checks for each coaching or volunteer position, can create a barrier for those wishing to volunteer, and an unnecessary burden for existing volunteers. A portable passport would mean that only one check was required, thereby streamlining the system and reducing the strain of repeated police checks. We urge the Government to streamline the system for Criminal Records Bureau checks.
Games Volunteering 65. Both the Minister for the Olympics and the Welsh Assembly Government recognised London 2012 as an opportunity to increase recruitment and training of volunteers in a wide range of roles such as stewarding and first aid.90 Up to 70,000 volunteers would be
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22 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
required for the Games, to be recruited across the UK. As the Welsh Assembly Government commented, “We believe that by encouraging as many Welsh volunteers as possible to contribute to the successful hosting of the Olympics and Paralympics, we can inspire them to continue volunteering”.91
66. Swim Wales described the programme it had established to encourage young volunteers – Millennium Volunteers. This enabled them to gain a qualification as technical officials and administrators and as swimming teachers and coaches.92
67. Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, drew attention to the pre-Games volunteering and skills programme that had been running in London since 2007.93 ‘Personal Best’ aimed to:
• use the Games as a motivator to enable people who would otherwise not have the skills to volunteer to have the chance to become Games-time volunteers, whilst also moving them nearer to the labour market;
• provide accredited training, backed by support into more training, volunteering opportunities or a job;
• target individuals from the most disadvantaged communities e.g. unemployed, disabled people, people on incapacity benefit, lone parents, young people NEET [not in education, employment or training], BME groups [Black and minority ethnic groups], ex-offenders; and
• help people gain what for most is their first ever qualification.94
The Welsh Assembly Government observed that they were considering establishing a similar programme in Wales if “it would make a sufficiently clear, measurable impact”.95
68. The Olympics and Paralympics are an opportunity to increase the recruitment and retention of volunteers. We commend the Personal Best programme that is currently running in London and encourage the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Welsh Assembly Government to explore the advantages of such a programme in Wales. We also urge the sporting bodies in Wales to seize the opportunity to recruit volunteers to help the 2012 Games as part of a planned strategy to engage their energies at home in Wales after the Games have ended.
Maximising Performance of Athletes 69. The five medals won by Welsh competitors at the Olympics were the best for 100 years and the 10 gold medals won at the Paralympics comprised 25% of the total Team GB medal tally. In medals won on a per capita basis, Wales was the most successful of the
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Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 23
home countries in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We congratulate the Welsh Olympians and Paralympians on their inspiring achievements at the Beijing Games, and recognise that their achievements made Wales the most successful of the UK nations in terms of medals won per head of population.
70. In its written evidence, the Sports Council for Wales stated that 2012 provided an opportunity to build on the strong performance of Welsh athletes in the 2008 Beijing Games. In order to do this, Wales needed to develop a network of programmes and people which:
• enables talented individuals to be identified; • ensures that they have regular and frequent access to gifted coaches; • ensures that they are able to regularly take part in challenging competition; and • provides regular and frequent access to facilities, sports science/medicine.96
It recognised however that in some parts of Wales:
… it is not easy to implement all elements of the success formula particularly in areas of low population where it is difficult for the talented to gain regular and frequent contact with gifted coaches, and also access appropriate competition. In these areas, SCW [Sports Council for Wales] provides enhanced support to compensate for logistical disadvantage.97
71. In its evidence, the Sports Council for Wales commented that “it normally takes 10 years or longer to develop a medallist,” and most UK governing bodies of sport believed that all of the potential 2012 team members were already in the system, and competing at a high level, “although the competition might not be at senior level yet.”98 Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, highlighted the challenge faced by UK Sport and the GB governing bodies in ensuring that” we have got people coming through the system that have the best possible opportunities and the best possible support.”99
Élite Cymru 72. The Sports Council for Wales’ scheme Élite Cymru identifies and supports top competitors. It provides
• financial support;
• sports medical back-up, to ensure immediate access to treatment;
• sports science support;
• free access to top-class training facilities;
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24 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
• lifestyle management training.100
As the Sports Council for Wales identified, competitors such as Nicole Cooke, Geraint Thomas, David Davies and Dave Roberts were members of Élite Cymru from a relatively young age.
73. In evidence, Philip Carling, Chairman, Sports Council for Wales, stated that “the challenge is to deliver athletes to the top of their own Élite Cymru pyramid and deliver as many athletes as we can into the world class performance programme run by UK Sport.”101 As the Sports Council for Wales acknowledged in its written evidence, “Welsh interest in the London Olympic and Paralympic Games will be very high if Team GB includes a significant number of competitors from Wales and a proportion of these become medal winners.”102
Regional Sports Institutes 74. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, described the regional sports institutes which aimed to identify and nurture local talent. As he stated, “ A lot of what we are actually doing is we are trying to really locate these programmes and policies within our communities.”103
75. The North Wales Regional Institute of Sports was established to ensure that North Wales based athletes would receive the support and expertise they needed to succeed on the national and international stage. A similar structure is due to be established in West Wales in the next year. As Mr Jones commented:
Things happen within communities; people come up through communities, they need their best possible opportunities, hence the establishment of things like the North Wales Regional Institute of Sport.104
76. The Sports Council of Wales highlighted their “decentralized approach, trying to support young people but making that competitor-centred so that we can give them the best possible support”.105 They cited the example of Nicola Cooke who competed and trained in Italy due to the strength of cycling competition to be found there.
Relationship with UK Sports 77. In its written evidence, the Sports Council for Wales commented that it worked closely with UK Sports. It provided sports science, sports medicine, physiotherapy and psychology for world class performance in Wales “whether they be Welsh or from the other home countries via an agreement with UK Sport.”106 Philip Carling, Chairman, Sports Council
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Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 25
for Wales, stated this was something that could be developed even more, although the “relationship in fact with UK Sport and the world performance programme is better that it has ever been and improving.”107
Funding 78. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, acknowledged that they were “very satisfied” regarding the financial sums they would receive in order to prepare for the 2012 Games. UK Sport had recognised their responsibility in supporting top athletes and from 1 April 2009 “they will be paying for those talented individuals who are based in Wales whether they are Welsh or whether […] they be Scottish, Irish or English.”108 We welcome the agreement between UK Sports and the Sports Council for Wales to ensure adequate funding for elite athletes based in Wales.
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4 Disability Sports
79. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales is recognised as the lead organisation for disability sport in Wales. It aims to promote and develop opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport. In oral evidence, Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales, saw the Olympics as an “unique opportunity” to promote paralympic and disabilities sport in Wales, and recognised that there were “major opportunities to be yielded from having the single biggest disability sport event in London in four years time”.109
80. For the 2012 Games to have the most benefit to disability sports in Wales and the longest-lasting social legacy, it will be vital for the Paralympic Games to be seen on a par with the Olympics. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, congratulated Beijing on how it had raised the profile of the Paralympics:
… the Olympic Games were marketed with all the Olympic logos and insignia and the day after the Olympics finished that was taken down and the Paralympics rolled into town and the marketing was absolutely superb …110
He commented that this message was had to be endemic throughout the whole of the London 2012 organisation warning, “Sometimes it might stay at the top end and does not always materialise further down inside the organisation”.111
Community Programmes 81. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales described the opportunity the Games represented:
... to ensure that particularly children and young people with a disability are made aware […] of the opportunities that already exist for them to participate, not just during the cycle of the Games but throughout their entire lives in sport and healthy activity.112
It highlighted the “very well established programme within Wales in terms of a community programme which is rolled out across all of the local authorities.”113 The Disability Sport Wales National Community Development Programme, a joint initiative between the Federation of Disability Sport Wales, the Sports Council for Wales and the Local Authorities, was aimed at developing quality community based sporting and physical activity opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Wales.
82. Disability Sport Wales aims to:
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• Create new clubs and give professional advice and support to improve existing clubs;
• Increase the number of disabled people who actively participate in sports clubs, groups and sessions;
• Improve the quality and number of coaches and volunteers within disability sport through coach education and other systems;
• Create new and further develop existing opportunities for disabled people to compete in sport at local, regional and national level;
• Work closely with the Federation’s National Performance Manager ensuring that individuals with potential are given the opportunity to train and, where appropriate, compete to the highest standards.114
The programme is promoted and delivered through a network of 22 Disability Sport Wales Development Officers, located across every Local Authority in Wales. Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales, highlighted the activities and events that were organised throughout Wales on a weekly basis, with the delivery “last year [of] something like 350 odd events at community level.”115 He highlighted the programme’s achievements:
The impact of that programme is that in 2002 we had a benchmark of about 1200 opportunities predominantly for disabled children and young people per year. That figure has increased now to 320,000 opportunities per year for disabled children and young people.116
Academy Structure 83. In its written evidence, the Federation of Disability Sport Wales described the structured pathway which enabled performers to achieve at the highest levels of competition. The Pan-Disability Academy programme is aimed at identifying and supporting emerging athletes. As Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales commented, in addition to Paralympic athletes, it also covers athletes who were deaf or hard of hearing or “possibly have an intellectual disability who are currently outside the Paralympic scheme.”117 He described the advantages of the academy:
The academy is crucial because it provides us with an opportunity to tailor services around emerging athletes and really to give them the boost that they require at the right stage of their development.118
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The academy ensured that athletes received the same support system as their Olympic counterparts and provided sports science and sports medicine facilities.
84. Mr Morgan highlighted the success the academy had experienced to date:
… we had nine of the fifteen new Paralympians from Wales who are part of Team GB; they came through the academy system at a time when it was only a few years old so we would hope that we would be 2012 have a greater surge of athletes who are breaking up into UK level and obviously by 2016 we will have a secondary level of athletes who are coming to the fore at that time.119
Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government, endorsed this and stated:
… not only has that success been seen in terms of medals and the percentage of the UK team that came from Wales, but it is also fair to say that there is a huge amount of work going on just to give opportunities to people to take part in sport and physical recreation for disabled people.120
85. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, stated that:
… the structure that we have of disability sport in Wales is easily the most advanced in the UK and it is probably the most advanced in the world. We can be very proud of what FDSW [Federation of Disability Sport Wales] has achieved over the last six or seven years.121
Legacy of the Games
Support Framework 86. Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales, recognised that a world class support framework equal to that provided for Olympic counterparts had not always existed in Paralympic terms with the UK’s organisations, “not having had the wherewithal in Paralympic terms to provide an even-handed service across the whole of the UK.”122
87. He highlighted that the Games were an opportunity to develop a long-term infrastructure across the UK and “to ensure that Paralympics GB and the LOCOG [London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games] are very much aware of the national strategies across the four home countries in terms of what we are trying to develop within a disability sport framework”.123
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Inclusiveness 88. Mr Morgan recognised inclusion as a key legacy aim of the 2012 Games, “creating choice for disabled people as to where and when they would like to do their sport and physical activity”.124 The aim was to enable people with disabilities to participate in mainstream sporting activities with appropriate support, and Mr Morgan recognised the need to ensure that inclusion was a “principle that we have got to build into all of our national sport development programme from this point forward.”125 This would ensure that:
… by the time the last day of the Games comes for the Paralympics, when we have got a groundswell of enthusiasm from the next generation coming through, we are actually ready to promote the opportunities that are ready to go ...126
89. The importance of training within junior school programmes was emphasised in evidence. Mr Morgan highlighted the increasing number of children with statements of special educational needs who were being taught in mainstream schools, “and it is likely that possibly 80% of all children with a statement will be in mainstream.”127 It was therefore vital that:
… those people who are delivering the frontline stuff have been trained, they understand the principles of inclusion, the principles of how we can adapt some sports and some environments so that everybody is able to participate at the same time and at the same place.128
90. It was recognised that there were practical challenges to be faced in this endeavour. Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, highlighted events with a degree of inclusiveness, such as the Commonwealth Games and the UK School Games, where events for disabled athletes were included in the general sports programme.129 However, these were not totally inclusive due to practical demands, similar to those of the Olympics and the Paralympic Games:
… it would be nice theoretically to see all of that rolled into one but actually it is not practical to hold them because of the number of competitors that are likely to be involved, the number of officials, the time it takes to run events, so there are issues of practicality and not just issues of principle.130
Mr Morgan told us that inclusion would be a long-term process with the need to change perception, “it is about changing the way that people plan and deliver and then monitor inclusively so that they see sport in the round.”131
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Social Legacy 91. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales highlighted the potential social legacy of the Games:
The way that the paralympic dimension of these Games can have an impact on society and their perception of disability, the way that we continue to evolve and take account of the social model of disability is very, very important.132
Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, highlighted the role models that existed in Wales. Tanni Grey-Thompson and David Roberts were the two most successful Paralympic athletes of all time. He described this as a “phenomenal achievement […] to have the two most iconic Paralympians in the world ever; we have them and they are Welsh.”133
Funding 92. In its evidence, the Federation of Disability Sport Wales highlighted the opportunities that would be lost in developing disability sports if lottery support was re-diverted to support the hosting of the Games, “if funding is restricted facilities will begin to fall apart and we could have a situation […] where the volunteer base diminishes.”134
93. Philip Carling, Chairman of the Sports Council for Wales, acknowledged the “fantastic programme” that existed within disability sports in Wales.135 He recognised the foundation it had within the community, and contended that “it would be very unlikely that funding of Disability Sport Wales would actually suffer as a result of any lottery downturn, it is a very big priority for Wales and they have done the most amazing job.”136
94. Wales is at the forefront of the development of disability sports. The Disability Sport Wales Community Development Programme has increased community based sporting opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Wales. The model of twenty-two Disability Sport Development Officers ensures that the programme is provided and delivered across every local authority in Wales.
95. The Academy structure ensures that talent is recognised and supported, enabling athletes to perform at the highest levels. Athletes receive a first class support system which includes sports science and sports medicine facilities, and ensures that athletes are identified and nurtured. The rest of the UK can learn from Wales’s community programme and its academy structure.
96. It is important that the UK learns from the successful model of the Beijing Olympics, and that the Paralympics are marketed on the same level as the Olympics for
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London 2012. The London Games provide an opportunity to increase interest in disability sports and to build on what has already been achieved.
32 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
5 Economic Benefits
Tourism 97. Tourism is a devolved matter under the Government of Wales Act 2006. Visit Wales is responsible for the promotion and development of tourism in Wales. Its mission is to “maximise tourism’s contribution to the economic, social and cultural prosperity of Wales”.137 In 2007, Wales attracted 8.85 million UK staying visitors and 987,000 overseas visitors which generated a gross spend of £1,757 million. An estimated 75,843 full time equivalent jobs were supported directly or indirectly in 2006.138
98. In its written evidence, the Welsh Assembly Government gave examples of past successes in attracting and delivering major events such as the Rugby World Cup and the FA Cup. This had been based on partnership working, bringing together the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, its main cultural and economic agencies, local authorities and sports governing bodies. However, it recognised that it needed to “raise our game if Wales is to become a major player”.139 It acknowledged that:
Until now, there has been no coherent structure to plan the optimum events portfolio for Wales, or to maximise the benefits and return on investment from the events that we support […]there has to be a clearer sense of purpose and direction to, and more co-ordinated effort across, all major events activity in Wales.
In order to lead the drive for a more joined-up approach, the Welsh Assembly Government had established a dedicated Major Events Unit (MEU), reporting to the Deputy First Minister.
99. An Oxford Economic report, commissioned for VisitBritain and Visit London, had quantified the potential contribution of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic games to UK tourism over the period 2007 to 2017. The report found that, with allowances for displacement effects, “the contribution is £2.09 billion for the UK, including £1.47 billion for London with 30% of the benefits generated outside London.”140
100. The Welsh Assembly Government stated that Wales “could potentially benefit at greater level than its proportion of the UK would suggest,” due to a number of factors:
• The impact of the Ryder Cup held in 2010, the third most popular world sporting event in terms of media coverage will already have raised the profile of Wales as a potential destination and Wales should still be benefiting from the legacy effect.
• The use of the Millennium Stadium as a venue for eight football events.
• The relative proximity of Cardiff to London with timetabled two hour journey times.
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• Cardiff’s growing reputation as a centre for sport as a result of the FA Cup Finals, the Rugby World Cup etc.
• Wales’ disproportionately high share of Olympic and Paralympic medal winners relative to its population in Beijing.
• The Australian Paralympic Committee’s choice of Wales as its Pre-Games Training Camp will raise Wales’ profile in one of our key markets, and will ensure that Australia will be looking for opportunities to participate in competitive events in the lead up to 2012.141
VisitBritain 101. Within Europe, Welsh tourism is promoted by Visit Wales, but further afield, VisitBritain acts for the four home nations’ agencies and promotes the whole of Britain internationally in 36 markets. The close working relationship between Visit Wales and VisitBritain was confirmed by VisitBritain:
Given the complex structure of public sector tourism in the UK, a natural consequence of devolution, effective partnership working is necessary at all levels to maximise effectiveness and value for money. At national level, partnership working between VisitBritain and the national tourist boards is well embedded.142
However, VisitBritain did acknowledge:
… there is need for investment—and co-ordination between ourselves, Whitehall, the devolved administrations, Regional Development Agencies and Town Halls about the organisations of tourism promotion in aid of the industry.143
102. VisitBritain highlighted the importance of the Olympics in new tourist markets:
In order to maintain market share it is essential to build share in growth markets such as Brazil, China, India, Poland and Russia …
The importance of the 2012 Games to Visit Britain’s activities in emerging markets such as China, India and Russia cannot be overstated. Often Britain is seen through the lens of period drama or in the pages of Dickensian novels wrapped up in smog.144
103. Other witnesses foresaw few benefits to tourism in Wales as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. In its written evidence the Welsh Assembly Government acknowledged that, having tried to forecast the increased number of visitors that might visit Wales in the wake of the 2012 Games:
The figures are not that promising and in reality we do not expect a great influx of visitors to Wales. People coming to the Olympics will concentrate on that event and
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we know that those coming to London very often go to specific destinations, usually connected with two or three landmark places in England or further abroad.145
The Wales Tourism Alliance stated that “there is little evidence to suggest that anything like the level of benefits that will be delivered to the south east of England will materialise in Wales”.146 The Welsh Local Government Association also commented:
Ultimately we will only get a direct positive impact on tourism during 2012 if we have Olympic events here in Wales, in addition to the football […]the main opportunity is likely to have minimal effect in the short term.147
Ryder Cup 104. Many witnesses commented on the significance of the Ryder Cup to tourism in Wales in the lead-up to the Olympics. The Welsh Assembly Government commented that “it will be Wales’ own Olympics,”148 and the Wales Tourism Alliance stated that “in economic, business and image/status terms, events like the impending Ryder Cup in Newport, will have far more national and local consequence to Wales [than the 2012 Games]”.149 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP said that the impact of the Ryder Cup “when it was hosted in Ireland, was in excess of some £88 million.”150
105. The Welsh Assembly Government explained that it intended to use the opportunity provided by the 2010 Ryder Cup in Newport to raise Wales’s profile as a visitor destination, and to “build a reputation of Wales, to create a sense of place for Wales surrounding the Ryder Cup”.151 Visit Wales’s Golf Tourism Strategy for Wales aims to establish Wales as a recognised golf destination, and its Golf as it should be campaign has increased the number of dedicated staying golf visitors from 30,000 in 2003 to 87,000 in 2007. Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government, commented that “if we can market the image and brand image of Wales during the Ryder Cup, then that may have an ongoing effect for the Olympics”.152
106. We are concerned that Wales may not feel the full benefit of the increase in tourists arriving for the Olympics and Paralympics due to the low number of events to be held in Wales. We recognise that Wales may get more coverage on account of the Ryder Cup in 2010 and agree with the Welsh Assembly Government that Visit Wales must use the Ryder Cup as a platform to encourage people to return in the following years and also as a platform for promoting visits to Wales at the time of the 2012 Games.
145 Ev 71 146 Ev 60 147 Ev 66 148 Ev 71 149 Ev 60 150 Q 109 151 Ev 71 152 Q 56
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 35
Benefits for Businesses 107. London’s successful bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games was partly based on the Government’s intention to ensure that businesses across the UK benefited from opportunities arising from the Olympics.
108. In January 2008, the Government launched the London 2012 Business Network to assist companies across the UK to compete for thousands of business opportunities helping deliver the London 2012 Games. It includes the CompeteFor service, an electronic brokerage service for buyers and suppliers The Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated that London 2012 expected to procure around £6 billion worth of contracts, creating around 75,000 supply chain opportunities.153
109. The Welsh Assembly Government is contributing £75,000 a year for three years to the network, with an additional £75,000 available annually subject to performance, to ensure Welsh companies had the opportunity to compete for business. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government, commented that the Government had been “proactive” in delivering the London 2012 Business Network “so that commercial opportunities are more open and transparent and accessible than any other Games have been”.154
110. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport highlighted the briefing sessions on supply chain opportunities and the London 2012 Business Network that were included in the business engagement programme. These included:
• a programme of business conferences in each region and Devolved Administrations;
• the official launch in Wales of the London 2012 Business Network in May 2008, attended by the First Minister for Wales, Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM;
• a tour and briefing session on the Olympic Park for the Welsh Assembly Government and Welsh businesses in October 2008.
Mr Emyr stated that the Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games “have done a lot in terms of attempting to meet us halfway,”155 and with the Department for the Economy and Transport “actively promoting work within the business community to make sure that they are able to bid for contracts or they are encouraged to do so.”156
111. The Minister for the Olympics emphasised how the Government had recognised that of the economic benefits arising from holding the Olympics, a “disproportionate benefit
153 Ev 28 154 Q 41 155 Q 41 156 Q 40
36 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
would fall to London, with substantial displacement from other parts of the UK. We want to counter that inevitability.”157 She did not know
… of another Olympics that has been more proactive in spreading the economic benefits, particularly important at a time of downturn like this, and spreading those benefits to businesses that are under pressure all over the country.158
Contracts 112. 953 Welsh based businesses had registered on the CompeteFor website, although this represented 2% of the total number of registrations on the network.159 Eleven companies had been shortlisted for contracts, although no Welsh businesses had yet won a contract via the CompeteFor website.
113. Some Welsh businesses had won contracts with Tier 1 contractors, who had signed directly with the Olympic Delivery Authority. The Minister told us that several Welsh companies had been awarded contracts through the Olympic Delivery Authority’s supply chain, which were worth “tens of thousands of pounds rather than millions,”160 and recognised that the number of contracts awarded were “very substantially less than I think you would be hoping for”.161 They were:
• Fairfield Mabey providing structural steel work for structures, bridges and highways (for Balfour Beatty);
• Rowecord Holdings providing structural steelwork for Aquatics Centre (for Balfour Beatty); and
• Rhino Doors providing doors for the shafts that provide access to the underground powerlines (for Murphy’s)162
In its written evidence, the Welsh Assembly Government also confirmed two other companies that had been awarded contracts:
• Total CDM Solutions providing work for the Aquatics Centre; and
• Bluebay Building Products Ltd providing specialist building materials.
Evidence given by the Welsh Assembly Government contradicted the value of the contracts and stated that two of the five contracts won were over £10 million, to Fairfield Mabey and Rhino Engineering.163
157 Q 116 158 Q116 159 Q 61 160 Qq 63-65 161 Q 61 162 Ev 39 163 Ev 71
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 37
114. The Minister for the Olympics emphasised the importance and “considerable opportunity”164 of Olympic and Paralympic contracts in the current economic climate. She acknowledged the recent job losses and recognised the pressure that Welsh businesses were under “and the extent to which they were struggling.”165 She stated:
What we will be very happy to do is to ensure that the Olympic Delivery Authority meet with the Welsh business support services to see whether more can be done to support Welsh businesses in utilising this opportunity.166
The Minister argued however, that there was a limit to what could be achieved centrally, and highlighted the work Welsh businesses could be doing:167
… there is still an enormous amount more that Welsh businesses could be doing in order to benefit from the potential investment. There is still another £500 million worth of work to be contracted.
This was endorsed by Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator:
… there is a responsibility on the private sector in Wales to respond. Ultimately it is their opportunity and sometimes I get a sense that some companies in Wales think this is a bit too difficult, a bit too big for us, a bit too far away perhaps, but whether those barriers are real or perceived I do not know.168
We asked the Minister whether there was a target for the percentage of work that would go to the nations and regions. She, while noting that currently 98% of the businesses that had won contracts were UK firms and 45% were based outside London, dismissed the idea of targets ensuring that a percentage of contracts would be awarded outside London:
What we cannot do is to skew the procurement rules either to create a particular benefit to one part of the country, one group of workers or anything else, and you obviously understand that ...169
115. The Games offer the opportunity of £6 billion in procurement contracts and the creation of around 75,000 supply chain opportunities. We welcome the significant supply chain contracts that have already been awarded to Welsh businesses. We urge the private sector in Wales to seize these opportunities especially at a time of recession.
Supply Chain 116. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, commented on the difficulties in identifying business benefits for Wales, and highlighted the lack of a database for the whole of the supply chain. Tier One contracts signed directly with the Olympic
164 Q 61 165 Q 62 166 Q 61 167 Q 61 168 Q 41 169 Q115
38 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Delivery Authority were in the public domain, and easily identifiable, “but in terms of the whole of the supply chain, down through the various contracting tiers, there is no database at present”.170
117. The Minister for the Olympics stated that that picture was complicated by where “an English based company […] has subsidiaries in their suppliers in Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland.”171 In her written evidence, she stated that the Olympic Delivery Authority was conducting research to assess the values of contracts in the supply chain.172
Marketing Rights 118. Arthur Emyr identified the requirement of companies to sign ‘no marketing rights’ clauses, as a further difficulty concerning the identification of Welsh companies involved in the Olympics project.173 This restricted companies in publicising their involvement in the Games. As he stated, there was a value to being an Olympic supplier, which was a separate sponsorship agreement with either the Olympic Delivery Authority or the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games:
… so if you are a supplier from Wales entering into a contract, you are obviously being paid and contracted for the goods and services you are supplying, but what you cannot do is then market yourself as an Olympic supplier.174
The Welsh Assembly Government stated that it could occasionally publicise a limited number of company ‘case studies’ with London 2012’s agreement, but “actually to to be able to agree case studies involving Welsh companies […] is not easy. That is a problem.”175
119. We are disappointed with the low number of businesses in Wales that have registered on the CompeteFor website so far. In particular we are concerned by the low number of contracts that have been directly awarded to Welsh companies. We recognise the efforts the Government has taken to publicise the business network and to provide support to companies wishing to apply for contracts. This requires urgent action by the Welsh Assembly Government and by business organisations in Wales.
120. Due to the lack of a supply chain database, it is almost impossible to ascertain the benefits of the Olympics to businesses in Wales below Tier One, and this creates confusion regarding the value of the Games to Welsh businesses. We urge the Olympic Delivery Authority to conduct research to asses the values of contracts in the supply chain to demonstrate the scale of benefits to businesses in Wales. We look forward to regular updates over the coming three years on the level and nature of contracts awarded to Welsh businesses. We urge the Secretary of State for Wales to take a personal interest in these issues and in practical actions to keep Welsh businesses to the fore.
170 Q 39 171 Q 66 172 Ev 39 173 Q 39 174 Q 39 175 Qq 39-40
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 39
6 Cultural and Educational Benefits
Cultural Olympiad 121. London’s 2012 Cultural Olympiad was launched in September 2008. It is a four year programme of cultural activity designed to celebrate the Olympic spirit throughout the UK. London secured the 2012 Games on the basis that it promised to deliver a richly diverse programme representing the cultures of the whole of the UK. The aims of the Cultural Olympiad are to showcase British talent and innovation and it will reflect the key themes of the London 2012 Games:
• Celebrating London and the whole of the UK welcoming the world;
• Inspiring and involving young people;
• Generating a positive legacy.176
122. In its written evidence, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated:
The Cultural Olympiad aims to provide opportunities for people from across the UK to get involved in cultural activities that celebrate the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This four year cultural festival […] is one way that people can engage with the Games outside Games time and outside of London.177
The Welsh Assembly Government stated that each of the 12 Nations and Regions were participating in the Cultural Olympiad and had a Creative Programmer whose duties included curating a programme of cultural activities associated with the 2012 games over the next four years.
123. Wales’ programme for the Cultural Olympiad – Power of the Flame – is being funded by £1.67 million from the Legacy Trust.178 It comprises four projects designed to use the 2012 games as a catalyst, and as the Welsh Assembly Government stated “ will engage up to 1.5 million young people across Wales.”179 It added that the development of skills would be a major theme running through the four constituent parts of the Power of the Flame:
• Cauldrons and Furnaces involves community-led performances and multimedia installations held across eight CADW180 sites. Up to 6,400 young people and volunteers will work with visual artists and theatre/dance, carnival and circus practitioners to animate the sites culminating with a simultaneous performance across the sites in August 2010;
176 http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/2012_olympic_games_and_paralympic_games/3430.aspx 177 Ev 28 178 Legacy Trust UK was established in 2007 as a charitable trust to use funding endowed by the Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help create and support projects throughout the United Kingdom. 179 Ev 62 180 CADW is the historic environment service of the Welsh Assembly Government
40 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
• Kindling Talent will be undertaken by Valleys Kids with partners in South Africa and will provide opportunities for theatre, music and drama practitioners in the South Wales valley;
• Prometheus will be a project for disable young people and will develop skills of artistry, performance and expression;
• Following the Flame will investigate and record the successes of Welsh Olympians and Paralympians during the 20th and 21st centuries. It will include an oral history project to be undertaken by young people in Wales.
124. The Welsh Assembly Government also stated that it was hopeful that there would be additional opportunities for Wales to contribute to other elements of the Cultural Olympiad. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is obliged by the International Olympic Committee to deliver certain ceremonies and events — the opening and closing ceremonies, the torch relay and the medal ceremonies — and signature bid projects that were included in the London bid, such as the Film Festival, and the Shakespeare Festival. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government stated that there was a need to “find a way to play into those projects and these ceremonies in as many ways as possible, whether it is through our leading artists and performers, directors, choreographers, technicians and so on.” 181
125. The Welsh Assembly Government told us that it was encouraged that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games had “committed to hosting two ‘creative conversations’ in Wales as part of a UK wide exercise designed to map the architecture and ambition of the Games ceremonies.”182 Arthur Emyr acknowledged that preparation for the mandatory opening and closing ceremonies were “at the very early stages of planning […] and it is a framework and ambition conversation that is going on at the moment. The detail, I suspect, will not emerge for at least a year or maybe more.”183 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, commented “the cultural tradition of Wales has got a huge contribution to make to the Cultural Olympiad, and the signs are that Wales is ready and, indeed, playing its part in that.”184
Torch Relay 126. A commitment has been given by the Government that the Olympic Torch Relay would visit all parts of the UK including Wales.185 Representations had been made to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games regarding the torch relay:
… specifically in the context of the Urdd National Eisteddfod which will be in North Wales in 2012; it will be the biggest event in North Wales in 2012 and we have asked that in agreeing the torch relay programme we would very much like to see them
181 Q 46 182 Ev 62 183 Q 47 184 Q 94 185 Ev 62
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 41
find a way of bringing the torch relay to the Urdd Eisteddfod in North Wales in 2012.186
Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics stated that a decision on the route for the torch route would “Probably not [be made] for at least a couple of years, […] and I can well understand the iconic importance of that in Wales.”187
127. We strongly recommend that the route of the Torch Relay includes the Urdd National Eisteddfod, to be held in North Wales in 2012.
Welsh Language 128. In its written evidence, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games stated that the Games presented an “opportunity to promote the Welsh language and link it to sport, culture and education”.188 It stated that it was ensuring that all of its public facing campaigning activity in Wales was available in Welsh, such as the publicity regarding the London 2012 roadshow and certificates for Welsh venues included in the Pre-Games Training Camp guide.
129. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games also emphasised that it was working with the Welsh Language Board. Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, highlighted that “There have been several discussions and, as I understand it, they are working towards agreeing a Welsh language plan.”189 A Welsh version of Get Set, the online education resource, was also being developed.
130. The London 2012 Inspire Mark is awarded to high-quality, innovative and sustainable projects and events inspired by London 2012 and recognised as helping to deliver the Games’ lasting legacy. Two versions of the Inspire Mark are available, in English and dual Welsh-English. In her written evidence, Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, stated that the Government’s commitment to link the Welsh language with sport, culture and education was underlined by the creation of the Welsh Inspire Mark.190 It had already been awarded to one Welsh project—Criw Cymru, a performing arts scheme for young people across Wales, linking the Cardiff Millenium Centre with Galeri (Caernarfon) in North Wales, Theatre Brycheiniog (Brecon) in Mid Wales and Sadlers Wells.
131. The Government has consistently stated that the London Olympics will represent the nations and regions of the United Kingdom. We welcome the opportunities the Government has taken to promote the Welsh language and in using Welsh in their campaigning activity. We encourage the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to develop a Welsh Language Plan and to ensure that educational resources, such as Get Set, are available in a Welsh version as soon as
186 Q 46 187 Q 102 188 Ev 43 189 Q 58 190 Ev 43
42 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
possible. It is important to engage all sections of Welsh society including the Welsh speaking population with the Olympics and Paralympics and its ideals.
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 43
7 Conclusion
132. It is still uncertain to what extent Wales will benefit from a London Games. Whilst the Games will provide a unique opportunity to promote sport in Wales, efforts will need to be made to ensure that there are equal opportunities across all schools to allow children and young adults access to regular involvement in sports and physical activities. It is also imperative that there is continued investment in facilities to ensure that people have easy and affordable access to them.
133. Wales will be disadvantaged due to the diversion of lottery money. The Government has continuously stated that the 2012 Games will be a UK Games with UK benefits, and has therefore refused to provide a Barnett consequential. On the other hand it must be remembered that most parts of Wales have benefited from similar designation in the past, receiving money outside the Welsh Block and the Barnett Formula for specific projects. However it is clear that the 2012 Games will benefit London and will regenerate east London. After 2012 the Government must ensure that a share of the money spent on the Olympics and Paralympics is returned to Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom and that Lottery funding will be restored to their previous levels.
134. The lack of events in Wales will have an effect on economic benefits gained through tourists to the Games. Witnesses have commented that the Ryder Cup 2010 will be of greater significance to Wales and will provide an opportunity to raise the worldwide profile of Wales and also as a platform for promoting visits to Wales at the time of the 2012 Games. The existence of world class facilities in Wales does however provide the opportunity for Wales to market itself as a pre-Games training venue. This could be not only for the 2012 Games but also as a long-term European base for many foreign teams.
135. Disability Sports is Wales’s great strength. It has a recognised structure at grassroots level all the way through to the elite level and other UK nations can learn from its success. The 2012 Games provide an unique opportunity to promote Paralympic and disability sports in Wales, with the legacy of changing social perceptions of disabilities and providing greater choice for disabled people in when and where they can take part in sporting activities.
44 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. We welcome the fact that Wales is represented on the Nations and Regions Group. However given the need to ensure that the benefits of the Olympics are maximised in Wales, we believe that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport should establish a direct relationship with the Welsh Assembly Government during the pre-Olympic period and facilitate representation and contact at each relevant point within the bureaucracy of the London Olympics. There is a need for Ministerial leadership as well as the engagement of officials and other representatives from Wales, and we urge the Wales Office to be pro-active in helping to achieve this and in facilitating contact at each relevant point in the highly-complex network of organisations engaged in the Olympic process. (Paragraph 9)
2. We welcome the fact that Wales will host some of the football tournament’s pool games. As this location was accepted by the International Olympic Committee, we can see no reason why further events could not be held in Wales. The original bid missed an opportunity to locate events in Wales and in this period of financial uncertainty it seems misguided for the Government to build expensive new venues for mountain biking and the canoe slalom when Wales already has highly suitable facilities for such events. (Paragraph 16)
3. Wales’s first class facilities were rightly recognised and included in the list of pre- Games training camps. We hope that the Government will continue to make every effort to publicise the facilities that exist in Wales and to encourage foreign teams to base themselves in Wales during the pre-Olympic period. Welsh Members of Parliament and the Wales Office can also play a role in this process. We congratulate the Welsh Assembly Government, the Wales Office and sporting organisations in Wales for the progress they have already made in promoting Wales and its facilities and would urge continued lobbying particularly for increased use of Welsh facilities. (Paragraph 30)
4. The Welsh Assembly Government is making efforts to ensure that foreign Olympic and Paralympic teams are aware of the facilities available in Wales. The benefits Wales can enjoy from hosting foreign teams are economic, sporting and cultural, and could establish Wales as an European base camp for the many competitions based in Europe. It is important that a co-ordinated and planned approach is agreed between local authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government so that the number of training camps in Wales is properly managed. Care must be taken to ensure that UK athletes are not disadvantaged and are still able to use the facilities. We also see a role for MPs and AMs to join with the Secretary of State and First Minister to promote such engagement and would be pleased to explore with all parties how the Committee can most usefully be involved. (Paragraph 31)
5. The London Olympics and Paralympics provide a unique opportunity to promote sport in Wales. While we recognise the success already achieved in increasing the children’s participation in sporting activities, the frequency of organised activity varies across schools in Wales. In order for this enthusiasm to be translated into a
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 45
grassroots sporting legacy, an infrastructure must be developed to allow children and young people access to regular involvement in sports and physical activities. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to establish a strategic approach working with other stakeholders, such as schools, local authorities, leisure facilities, and to provide effective co-ordination of all parties. (Paragraph 40)
6. We are concerned by the amount of lottery money being diverted away from Wales due to the Olympics, and the resulting funds that we will be lost in matched funding. This will have a long-term impact on grassroots sporting projects. (Paragraph 49)
7. The designation of the Olympics as a UK-wide project means that Wales will not receive consequential funding for the money spent on regeneration in London. On the other hand it must be remembered that most parts of Wales have benefited from similar designation in the past, receiving money outside the Welsh Block and the Barnett Formula for specific projects. The regeneration of South Cardiff associated with the construction of the Cardiff Bay Barrage is a case in point as is the UK contribution to Objective 1 in Wales. We ask for a clear commitment by the Government that, following the Olympics and Paralympics, a share of the reimbursed money will be returned to Wales, the rest of the UK and the English regions and that Lottery funding will be restored to their previous levels. (Paragraph 50)
8. We suggest that the Secretary of State for Wales, in conjunction with the First Minister, presses the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to give to Wales a 50m by 8 lane pool once the Olympic and Paralympic Games have finished, thereby increasing the sporting facilities in Wales. (Paragraph 56)
9. Wales currently has world class facilities at a national and regional level and we recognise the priority that their development has been given by the Welsh Assembly Government. However we are aware that as a non-statutory service, the funding of sporting facilities may not always remain a priority. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure ongoing investment to maintain and enhance these facilities in order that Wales is able to take advantage of the increased interest in sport generated by the Olympics. (Paragraph 57)
10. It is important that sporting facilities are accessible and affordable for the people of Wales. We urge the Welsh Assembly Government to work with Local Authorities, recognising where support could be given to improve access for sporting clubs and individuals. (Paragraph 58)
11. There is currently a shortage of volunteers in Wales, and many sports have no recognised development scheme. We encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to work with sporting organisations to develop a programme with recognised qualifications and to ensure that there is sufficient funding for training courses in colleges in Wales. (Paragraph 62)
12. Coaches and volunteers are vital to grassroots sports and elite sports. However, the need for multiple Criminal Records Bureau checks for each coaching or volunteer position, can create a barrier for those wishing to volunteer, and an unnecessary burden for existing volunteers. A portable passport would mean that only one check
46 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
was required, thereby streamlining the system and reducing the strain of repeated police checks. We urge the Government to streamline the system for Criminal Records Bureau checks. (Paragraph 64)
13. The Olympics and Paralympics are an opportunity to increase the recruitment and retention of volunteers. We commend the Personal Best programme that is currently running in London and encourage the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Welsh Assembly Government to explore the advantages of such a programme in Wales. We also urge the sporting bodies in Wales to seize the opportunity to recruit volunteers to help the 2012 Games as part of a planned strategy to engage their energies at home in Wales after the Games have ended. (Paragraph 68)
14. We congratulate the Welsh Olympians and Paralympians on their inspiring achievements at the Beijing Games, and recognise that their achievements made Wales the most successful of the UK nations in terms of medals won per head of population. (Paragraph 69)
15. We welcome the agreement between UK Sports and the Sports Council for Wales to ensure adequate funding for elite athletes based in Wales. (Paragraph 78)
16. Wales is at the forefront of the development of disability sports. The Disability Sport Wales Community Development Programme has increased community based sporting opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Wales. The model of twenty-two Disability Sport Development Officers ensures that the programme is provided and delivered across every local authority in Wales. (Paragraph 94)
17. The Academy structure ensures that talent is recognised and supported, enabling athletes to perform at the highest levels. Athletes receive a first class support system which includes sports science and sports medicine facilities, and ensures that athletes are identified and nurtured. The rest of the UK can learn from Wales’s community programme and its academy structure. (Paragraph 95)
18. It is important that the UK learns from the successful model of the Beijing Olympics, and that the Paralympics are marketed on the same level as the Olympics for London 2012. The London Games provide an opportunity to increase interest in disability sports and to build on what has already been achieved. (Paragraph 96)
19. We are concerned that Wales may not feel the full benefit of the increase in tourists arriving for the Olympics and Paralympics due to the low number of events to be held in Wales. We recognise that Wales may get more coverage on account of the Ryder Cup in 2010 and agree with the Welsh Assembly Government that Visit Wales must use the Ryder Cup as a platform to encourage people to return in the following years and also as a platform for promoting visits to Wales at the time of the 2012 Games. (Paragraph 106)
20. The Games offer the opportunity of £6 billion in procurement contracts and the creation of around 75,000 supply chain opportunities. We welcome the significant supply chain contracts that have already been awarded to Welsh businesses. We urge the private sector in Wales to seize these opportunities especially at a time of recession. (Paragraph 115)
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 47
21. We are disappointed with the low number of businesses in Wales that have registered on the CompeteFor website so far. In particular we are concerned by the low number of contracts that have been directly awarded to Welsh companies. We recognise the efforts the Government has taken to publicise the business network and to provide support to companies wishing to apply for contracts. This requires urgent action by the Welsh Assembly Government and by business organisations in Wales. (Paragraph 119)
22. Due to the lack of a supply chain database, it is almost impossible to ascertain the benefits of the Olympics to businesses in Wales below Tier One, and this creates confusion regarding the value of the Games to Welsh businesses. We urge the Olympic Delivery Authority to conduct research to asses the values of contracts in the supply chain to demonstrate the scale of benefits to businesses in Wales. We look forward to regular updates over the coming three years on the level and nature of contracts awarded to Welsh businesses. We urge the Secretary of State for Wales to take a personal interest in these issues and in practical actions to keep Welsh businesses to the fore. (Paragraph 120)
23. We strongly recommend that the route of the Torch Relay includes the Urdd National Eisteddfod, to be held in North Wales in 2012. (Paragraph 127)
24. The Government has consistently stated that the London Olympics will represent the nations and regions of the United Kingdom. We welcome the opportunities the Government has taken to promote the Welsh language and in using Welsh in their campaigning activity. We encourage the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to develop a Welsh Language Plan and to ensure that educational resources, such as Get Set, are available in a Welsh version as soon as possible. It is important to engage all sections of Welsh society including the Welsh speaking population with the Olympics and Paralympics and its ideals. (Paragraph 131)
25. It is still uncertain to what extent Wales will benefit from a London Games. Whilst the Games will provide a unique opportunity to promote sport in Wales, efforts will need to be made to ensure that there are equal opportunities across all schools to allow children and young adults access to regular involvement in sports and physical activities. It is also imperative that there is continued investment in facilities to ensure that people have easy and affordable access to them. (Paragraph 132)
26. Wales will be disadvantaged due to the diversion of lottery money. The Government has continuously stated that the 2012 Games will be a UK Games with UK benefits, and has therefore refused to provide a Barnett consequential. On the other hand it must be remembered that most parts of Wales have benefited from similar designation in the past, receiving money outside the Welsh Block and the Barnett Formula for specific projects. However it is clear that the 2012 Games will benefit London and will regenerate east London. After 2012 the Government must ensure that a share of the money spent on the Olympics and Paralympics is returned to Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom and that Lottery funding will be restored to their previous levels. (Paragraph 133)
48 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
27. The lack of events in Wales will have an effect on economic benefits gained through tourists to the Games. Witnesses have commented that the Ryder Cup 2010 will be of greater significance to Wales and will provide an opportunity to raise the worldwide profile of Wales and also as a platform for promoting visits to Wales at the time of the 2012 Games. The existence of world class facilities in Wales does however provide the opportunity for Wales to market itself as a pre-Games training venue. This could be not only for the 2012 Games but also as a long-term European base for many foreign teams. (Paragraph 134)
28. Disability Sports is Wales’s great strength. It has a recognised structure at grassroots level all the way through to the elite level and other UK nations can learn from its success. The 2012 Games provide an unique opportunity to promote Paralympic and disability sports in Wales, with the legacy of changing social perceptions of disabilities and providing greater choice for disabled people in when and where they can take part in sporting activities. (Paragraph 135)
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 49
Formal Minutes
Thursday 14 May 2009
Members present:
Dr Hywel Francis, in the Chair
David Jones Hywel Williams Alun Michael Mark Williams
Draft Report (Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Wales) proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 135 read and agreed to.
Summary agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report be the Eighth Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chairman make the Report to the House.
Written evidence was ordered to be reported to the House for printing with the Report, together with written evidence reported and ordered to be published on 19 January 2009.
Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.
[Adjourned till Tuesday 19 May at 9.45 a.m.
50 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Witnesses
Monday 19 January 2009 Page
Mr Gareth John, Chairman, Mr Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales, Mr Philip Carling, Chairman, and Mr Huw G Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales Ev 1
Mr Alun Ffred Jones, Assembly Member, Minister for Heritage, and Mr Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government Ev 11
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Mr Alan Bucknall, Deputy Director, UK-wide Legacy, Government Olympic Executive Ev 17
List of written evidence
1 Memorandum submitted by the British Olympic Association Ev 27 2 Memorandum submitted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Ev 28 3 Memorandum submitted by Councillor Alana Davies Ev 31 4 Memorandum submitted by Federation of Disability Sport Wales Ev 31 5 Memorandum submitted by Fields in Trust (FIT) Ev 39 6 Memorandum submitted by Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics and Paymaster General Ev 39 7 Memorandum submitted by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Ev 43 8 Memorandum submitted by Sports Council for Wales Ev 47 9 Memorandum submitted by Swim Wales Ev 52 10 Memorandum submitted by the Union of Welsh Independent Churches Ev 56 11 Memorandum submitted by VisitBritain Ev 56 12 Memorandum submitted by Wales Tourism Alliance Ev 60 13 Memorandum submitted by the Welsh Assembly Government Ev 62 14 Memorandum submitted by Welsh Local Government Association Ev 66 15 Memorandum submitted by the Welsh Sports Association Ev 70 16 Supplementary memorandum submitted by Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Deputy First Minister, Welsh Assembly Government Ev 71 17 Supplementary memorandum submitted by Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government Ev 71 18 Memorandum submitted by Euroband Laminates Ltd Ev 72
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 51
List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament
Session 2008-09
First Report Cross-border provision of public services for Wales: HC 57 Further and higher education
Second Report Globalisation and its impact on Wales HC 184 –I, II Third Report Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative HC 5 Competence) (Agriculture and Rural Development) Order 2008 Fourth Report Work of the Committee 2007-08 HC 252 Fifth Report The provision of cross-border health services for HC 56 Wales Sixth Report Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative HC 306 Competence) (Social Welfare) Order 2009 Seventh Report Legal Services Commission Cardiff Office HC 374 Eighth Report Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and HC 162 Paralympics for Wales First Special Report The proposed draft National Assembly for Wales HC 200 (Legislative Competence) (Housing) Order 2008: Government Response to the Committee's Seventh Report of Session 2007–08 Second Special Report Cross-border provision of public services for Wales: HC 378 further and higher education: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2008-09 Third Special Report Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative HC 410 Competence) (Agriculture and Rural Development) Order 2008: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2008-09 Fourth Special Report Globalisation and its impact on Wales: Government HC 538 Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2008-09
Session 2007-08 First Report Energy in Wales: follow up inquiry HC 177 Second Report The proposed Legislative Competence Order in HC 44 Council on additional learning needs Third Report Work of the Committee in 2007 HC 325 Fourth Report The proposed National Assembly for Wales HC 257 (Legislative Competence) Order in the field of social welfare 2008
52 Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales
Fifth Report The proposed draft National Assembly for Wales HC 576 (Legislative Competence) (social welfare and other fields) Order 2008 Sixth Report The provision of cross-border health services for HC 870 Wales: Interim Report Seventh Report The proposed draft National Assembly for Wales HC 812 (Legislative Competence) (Housing) Order 2008 First Special Report The proposed Legislative Competence Order in HC 377 Council on additional learning needs: Government response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2007-08 Second Special Report Energy in Wales – follow-up inquiry: Government HC 435 Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2007-08 Third Special Report The proposed National Assembly for Wales HC 715 (Legislative Competence) Order in the field of social welfare 2008: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2007-08
Session 2006-07 First Report Work of the Committee in 2005-06 HC 291 Second Report Legislative Competence Orders in Council HC 175 Third Report Welsh Prisoners in the Prison Estate HC 74 First Special Report Government Response to the Committee’s Second HC 986 Report of Session 2006-07, Legislative Competence Orders in Council
Session 2005-06 First Report Government White Paper: Better Governance for HC 551 Wales Second Report Proposed Restructuring of the Police Forces in Wales HC 751 Third Report Energy in Wales HC 876-I Oral and written Energy in Wales HC 876-II Evidence Fourth Report Future of RAF St Athan HC 1129 Fifth Report Current Restructuring of the Police Forces in Wales HC 1418 Oral and written NHS Dentistry in Wales HC 771-i Evidence First Special Report Government Response to the Committee’s Second HC 433 and Third Reports of Session 2004–05, Manufacturing and Trade in Wales and Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill Second Special Report Government Response to the Committee's Fourth HC 514 Report of Session 2004-05, Police Service, Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in Wales Third Special Report Government Response to the Committee's First HC 839 Report of Session 2005-06, Government White Paper: Better Governance for Wales
Potential Benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales 53
Fourth Special Report Government Response to the Committee's Second HC 1431 Report of Session 2005-06, Proposed Restructuring of the Police Forces in Wales Fifth Special Report Government Response to the Committee's Third HC 1656 Report of Session 2005-06, Energy in Wales Sixth Special Report Government Response to the Committee's Fourth HC 1657 Report of Session 2005-06, Future of RAF St Athan Seventh Special Government Response to the Committee's Fifth HC 1695 Report Report of Session 2005-06, Current Restructuring of the Police Forces in Wales
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Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 1 Oral evidence
Taken before the Welsh Affairs Committee
on Monday 19 January 2009
Members present
Dr Hywel Francis, in the Chair
Nia GriYth Hywel Williams
Witnesses: Mr Gareth John, Chairman, Mr Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales, Mr Philip Carling, Chairman, and Mr Huw G Jones, Chief Executive, Sports Council for Wales, gave evidence.
Q1 Chairman: Good afternoon and welcome to the opportunities to be yielded from having the single Welsh AVairs Committee; a particularly warm biggest disability sport event in London in four years welcome from our side of the table to the first time in terms of the profiling of elite athletes and the evidence session on the inquiry we have on the role models that they will become. It is also an potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and opportunity, I believe, to ensure that particularly Paralympics for Wales. Could I first of all place on children and young people with a disability are made record our thanks to Newport City Council for their aware, not just through the Games but through the warm welcome and everyone who has made our visit programmes that we deliver, of the opportunities here a successful visit; I hope it will be a successful that already exist for them to participate, not just visit, it has been a successful visit up until now during the cycle of the Games but throughout their anyway. For the record, could I ask the witnesses to entire lives in sport and healthy activity. From our introduce themselves please? perspective, Chairman, we see it as a massive Mr Jones: I am Huw Jones, Chief Executive, Sports opportunity and something that we are currently Council for Wales. preparing for, both in terms of emerging athletes and Mr Carling: I am Philip Carling, Chairman, Sports participation and hope that we can take every Council for Wales. advantage from. Mr Morgan: Jon Morgan, Executive Director, Disability Sport Wales. Mr John: Gareth John, Chairman thereof. Q3 Chairman: We have had some representation from various bodies in Wales about the cuts in funding. To what extent have these cuts in funding Q2 Chairman: Thank you very much for that. Could through the lottery aVected sport? I begin by asking all of you, although you do not all Mr Jones: They have aVected us quite significantly. need to answer the question, how will the benefits of We have lost £7.3 million for the development of the the 2012 London Games be felt here in Wales? Games and I suppose with lottery reducing over Mr Carling: Obviously the Olympic Games is an recent years that is quite significant at this point in absolutely massive festival of sport and it is our role time. Having said that, if it had been 10 or 15 years to maximise the benefits of that. We are running ago that the UK had been successful in achieving the programmes through until 2012 and beyond in Games probably nobody would have batted an schools, with governing bodies and through the local eyelid. Back in 1997–98, just over 10 years ago, we authorities and we believe that the boost in morale had nearly £18 million per annum coming into the eVect of the Games will significantly aVect those programmes and the value of those programmes, sport lottery in Wales; that now stands at something particularly as we get nearer to the Games like £7 million per annum, so when you have a themselves. It is very early days yet and obviously situation where we have not only committed funds the emotional eVect of the Games will not be felt for forward but we have also had a reducing income as a while but we believe that we can enhance the well, moving forward it is actually quite significant. programmes with that. We have not been able to Much of that it is important to actually say is not the introduce any additional programmes because of fault of the establishment of the Olympic and the lack of finance, but the programmes that we are Paralympic Games; the money that has actually running with, we believe, will be significantly been taken out of the sport lottery over the years has boosted by the Games. been taken out as a result of various government Mr Morgan: From the Paralympic perspective it is a policies: for example the establishment of the New once in a lifetime unique opportunity to promote Opportunities Fund first of all, then UK Sport paralympic and disability sport in our own becoming a lottery distributor and then the backyard. We have already got a very well establishment of the Olympic lottery distributor. So established programme within Wales in terms of a there have been various reasons why there has been community programme which is rolled out across all a reduction in funding coming through to the sport of the local authorities. There are major lottery in Wales so now with that £7.3 million being Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 2 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones withdrawn at this point in time it is significant. If it clear that if they can do it in and around London had taken place, as I said, 10 years ago, everybody then that is what they would always want to do. would have said fine, not a problem at all. Having said that, on the other hand you have only Mr Carling: I should say there has been a balancing got to have a look at the location of some of the feature though in that the Welsh Assembly events that took place in Beijing and many other Government have invested significantly more Olympics beforehand; in Beijing the equestrian took exchequer funding in the budget for the next three place in Hong Kong which was 1200 miles away—I years. This does not compensate for it but actually it suppose it would be the equivalent of us holding an makes life a little bit easier in the light of that event in Turkey or somewhere like that. South Wales reduction in lottery funding. These are programmes and North Wales are actually not that far away at the that would have been running anyway, the end of the day in global terms. programmes I talked about, but that has actually Mr Carling: It is regrettable, Chairman, but we helped with resourcing them. cannot say we are disappointed because the bid was Mr Jones: If we have a look for example, Chairman, completely open and we were aware of the bid and at 2002–03 our exchequer funding at that time was where all the events were going to be staged. An £8.7 million. We are now looking at an exchequer opportunity was missed originally to make the budget of something like £26 million, so actually as Games more important in Wales. our lottery funding has gone down our exchequer funding, because of the priorities that the Assembly Q7 Chairman: I should declare an interest; my Government has given to sport and physical activity, constituency was disappointed not to have some of has grown quite significantly. the mountain biking in the Afan Valley; I guess that Mr Morgan: We currently receive approximately is possibly the most controversial decision, but as £600,000 a year from the lottery via our principal you have now explained those were decisions taken funding partners, the Sports Council for Wales. That as part of the original bid I take it. funding is used to roll out the community Mr Carling: The mountain biking possibility has programme that we have across Wales, the come about because of doubts over the original site; employment of 22 development oYcers on a part- there are question marks against the site in Essex and time basis who essentially deliver the community so as a result of that the First Minister in particular element of our strategic framework for disability has been putting a bit of pressure on. sport. The impact of that programme is that in 2002 we had a benchmark of about 1200 opportunities Q8 Chairman: You need a bit of imagination to find predominantly for disabled children and young some mountains in Essex. people per year. That figure had increased now to Mr Carling: In fairness that is as a result of problems 320,000 opportunities per year for disabled children that may arise or may have arisen. and young people. At the moment we have not been aVected by the reduction that Huw spoke of, but Q9 Chairman: But those have been resolved now, I obviously anything that could aVect us would have guess. a major impact in terms of our community Mr Carling: We think they have; we are checking. programme at the moment as it is funded. Q10 Chairman: We would like for them not to be Q4 Hywel Williams: Could I just pick up a point that resolved perhaps. Mr Jones made. You said that there has been a Mr Carling: Yes, I suppose purely selfishly that replacement of some of the monies by the Assembly would be right. spending money, but that comes out of their block grants does it? Q11 Hywel Williams: I am just thinking of the way Mr Jones: That does, yes. the Olympics have been promoted for those of us who live part of our time in London and looking at Q5 Hywel Williams: If it is spent on sport it is not the newspapers down there it has been very much spent elsewhere. promoted on the legacy issue, that the lower Lea Mr Jones: That is right. Valley is going to be redeveloped and there will be a huge legacy for London. Getting an event or a sport Q6 Chairman: Can I move on now then. Perhaps to come to Wales would have direct benefits for disappointed is not the right word but were you promoting participation and for spectators and all expecting more Olympic and Paralympic events to that sort of stuV that comes along with having an be located in Wales? event here, but are there other legacy issues that Mr Jones: There is always a desire, Chairman, for would come up, say if we did have mountain biking more events to come to Wales but you can look at here. Would the butter be spread a bit further to the this in two ways. In reality LOCOG have always west, for example, to the Chairman’s constituency? been very clear that they wanted to locate the vast Mr Carling: A major part of the success of the main majority of those events around London; they have bid was based on the legacy promise. I am not been very clear about that. Nonetheless everybody absolutely sure that holding an event here would wants to see more events, we want to see initiatives actually enhance that but we would like to see much such as the mountain biking come to Wales—the more investment in legacy across our programmes so First Minister is on the record about wanting to see that our programmes are enhanced. Our that coming to Wales. They have always been very programmes will run through to 2012 and beyond; Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 3
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones that is a key point as well, life does not stop in 2012. many ways we need to be careful that we do not just Small levels of support even would have enhanced try and comb the world for teams just to come for our programmes or could still enhance our 2012, the approach that we are adopting is to say programmes. I am not sure that one-oV events will there are many teams throughout the world that create a legacy but certainly help and support for our actually want to potentially base themselves programmes would. somewhere in Europe because many of the competitions throughout the world invariably take Q12 Hywel Williams: That is what I wanted to place in Europe, whether we are talking about the establish really, that there are other opportunities Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, future apart from just having the events here. World Cup tournaments or whatever. Actually what Mr Jones: Absolutely. There are two types of legacy we want is a long term legacy from this, not just a V really: the first is the legacy as a result of the facilities one-o so that somebody comes here for three or that will host the Games and that is obviously a four weeks. That is the first approach and that has matter for LOCOG and the secretary of state in been the massive advantage of the approach of the London. Our challenge, and we have set it out in Australian Paralympic Committee. They see paragraph 5 of our memorandum to you, is that we themselves as using Wales as a base, not just for the must not divert energy and resources as a result of Olympic Games but potentially for the 2012. Our priorities do not change because of 2012, Commonwealth Games, if things go well, and future 2012 creates additional opportunities for promoting World Cups that they are holding in Manchester. our existing initiatives and that is the way that we That is the approach that we are actually taking on look at it. It is absolutely fundamental for the this and in that way there is not just an economic development of sport that we have an infrastructure benefit immediately, but we also see that there are there. It is not about running around trying to relationship benefits as well, how we can actually develop one-oV events here and there, it is important learn from them. The Australians are very, very that we have that structure and system in place so advanced in the way that they approach disability that not only can people participate in 2012 but in sport, their education programmes et cetera, and we 2013, 2014 and 2015 as cohorts of young people and can learn from them. The same is true of many other adults go through the system. countries and what we want is a relationship with Mr Morgan: We share that view and we are very keen somebody so that there are not just economic to ensure that Paralympics GB and LOCOG are benefits but there are those benefits as well that we very much aware of the national strategies across the can actually learn from them in terms of the long four home countries in terms of what we are trying term development of sport, whether it is able-bodied to develop within a disability sport framework sport or paralympic sport. which historically has not always been joined up in Mr Morgan: The Australian Paralympic Team was terms of pathways and other activities, so we see this one of the countries that we would have wanted to as an opportunity to bring added value through the target to bring to Wales. In reality there are probably Games to further deliver our strategies, not to very few Paralympic nations who actually go out to actually create something via 2012 which does not look to have holding camps or preparation camps in fit. The other legacy which is worthy of mention in the four-year lead-in and even for Australia this will paralympic terms is the social legacy. The way that be the first time that they have ever put together an the paralympic dimension of these Games can have overseas preparation and holding camp strategy. As an impact on society and their perception of Huw said, from our disability agenda perspective we disability, the way that we continue to evolve and are already beginning to see the reward of cross- take account of the social model of disability is very, cultural partnership with Australia. We are very important. That is something that certainly in beginning to share educational programmes with the terms of our action planning we are trying to take Australian Sports Commission—we recently had a forward with other key partners within Wales. colleague from that particular disability sports unit come over to Wales, we are working on a programme Q13 Hywel Williams: We heard earlier on this of education for our governing bodies on how to be afternoon that the Australian team were here very more inclusive within disability sport; they have quickly and understand that the Australian been working on that programme for some time and Paralympic team has decided to base itself in Wales. they are sharing with us. We on the other hand have Can you just tell us what the potential benefits are of been delivering within the community participation hosting the team for disability sports in Wales and opportunities; Australia are now looking to get more are other Paralympic or Olympic teams seeking to into the field of delivering direct participation set up training camps in Wales? opportunities, so there are ways that we can Mr Jones: We have been working very closely with exchange information. We are also looking to work the Welsh Assembly Government on this particular with the Australian Paralympic team with regard to issue and we have seconded one of our senior their schools programme and there is potential for us colleagues to work in Visit Wales directly to try and to engage our schools and have some cross-cultural bring together the expertise that we have in sport and links there. In terms of elite performance, as Huw sporting excellence with the expertise that they have said the Australians view Wales as a country that in terms of marketing throughout the world, so we they want to work with and, ironically, they do not actually have a very good Team Wales approach to see us necessarily as a threat in performance terms. the way in which we are actually rolling this out. In So we are already beginning to talk about some of Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 4 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones our coaching programmes in terms of possibly in the Mr Jones: The benefits obviously became very future coaches going across to Australia and vice focused in terms of the South Wales corridor because versa to learn from the diVerent systems, because the of the clarity that was given to the Millennium one thing that is true of disability sport is actually the Stadium. It depends how you measure some of those network worldwide is not as advanced as the benefits and what you actually want out of it at the Olympic network, so these partnerships actually end of the day. When you have a look at the provide the countries with great opportunity but economic benefits from events they are of two kinds. actually it stimulates the performance levels of The first kind is as a result of significant numbers of paralympic sport in the round as well. We see huge competitors—for example, the London Marathon is benefits to working with Australia in terms of the a classic example where you have thousands of forthcoming Games. people converging on London to compete—the other type is where you have actually got spectators and they do have very diVerent economic benefits; Q14 Hywel Williams: Are there any other teams UK Sport have undertaken an awful lot of work to thinking of basing themselves here? try and quantify how those impact and what the Mr Morgan: We have some advanced discussions multiplier eVect of those will be. We will have a very going on with New Zealand; there would be a diVerent situation when it comes to holding camps, synergy for us if we could attract the oceanic group, for example, because what we want is people not just Australia, New Zealand and the islands to come to to come here for a fortnight or three weeks before the Wales and there may be a couple of other senior Games start, we actually want people to start countries such as possibly South Africa or possibly coming here in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and then Canada. These are the types of nations who may afterwards in terms of basing themselves here, seeing consider an overseas preparation and holding camp Wales as their European base. There will be a long and they would probably be our key targets. After term impact, therefore, in terms of the economic that if we were successful in attracting a few more benefits. countries we would have to consider issues of Mr Carling: We would have had very little capacity and making sure that once we have opportunity to influence the RIB and the Welsh attracted countries in we can give them the right Rugby Union in the staging of the Rugby World experience, and that would mean understanding Cup, it would be outside our sphere of influence how many we can bring in in order to maintain a really and so we would equally not be able to learn high level experience for them. that much from it.
Q15 Hywel Williams: That was going to be my next Q17 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you now about the question to you really about capacity. How many Cultural Olympiad and the opportunities for young teams can we support and what eVect might that people; to what extent is Wales participating in the have on our own athletes—for example if any of the UK-wide sporting and cultural programmes? Are other home countries wanted to base some of their they the UK events or are we actually tailoring people here as well? Welsh events as well? Mr Jones: That is actually a very important question Mr Jones: That would probably be a question that for us. For example, the British cycling team before can better be answered by the Minister and Arthur they went to Athens and before they went to Beijing Emyr when they come because they have been actually based their holding camp next door here at leading it. For our part we are members of the Wales the velodrome, so I think the last thing that we want 2012 steering group and I attend those meetings with is a situation where we have some of the British Arthur on behalf of the Council so we are very much teams crowded out because facilities have actually aware of the Cultural Olympiad and the process of been given to some of our competitors. One of the things there. The other day, for example, I met with things that we are doing now is working very closely Phil Cope who is leading on the Following the Flame with the British team and saying you have first call initiative which is one of the elements of the Cultural on this, you tell us exactly what you need and when Olympiad, looking at the recording and interviewing so that we can actually block those out and then we of not just past Olympians and champions but can look to so-call sell the rest of the facilities. current Olympians, aspiring Olympians, potential Olympians, people who have been in the Q16 Chairman: The first major international event in background—coaches, administrators and so on— recent times, I guess, was the Rugby World Cup, and and trying to get from them their feel, their I would imagine that the Sports Council for Wales reflections, their aspirations as part of the major learnt something from that. I remember there was exhibition that will be touring Wales. One of the some sense of dissatisfaction, maybe because of the things that we talked about was how to get that way in which the Welsh Rugby Union arranged it so information, who to actually talk to to undertake that the games were very dispersed and it appeared those particular interviews and then the possible there was very little economic benefit because very staging of the exhibition at the Welsh Institute few people seemed to stay in Wales. Do you have sometime during the Olympiad. much recollection or any observations on that Mr John: Indeed, Chairman, this morning a meeting period? was held with Mr Philip Cope and we are having Mr Carling: I will have to pass it to Huw because I some interviews with him in the not too distant was not here then. future; that will be disability specific. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 5
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones
Q18 Chairman: Could you describe to us what Phil a message to other media networks and we were Cope does, or what is that role that he has? inundated for local radio interviews during the Mr Morgan: Phil essentially is a project co-ordinator course of the Games and other forms of media and he will be overseeing the Following the Flame communication. It is very important, if we are going project from concept through to its implementation to optimise the potential of the Paralympic Games and obviously working with a range of agencies such we have got to have a media network which is as the Sports Council for Wales and ourselves to covering the Games which is going to get into ensure that they are interviewing the right people’s homes and get into website development individuals and getting the right stories. From a and other commitments, not just for the 2012 Games disabilities perspective I was very enthusiastic in itself but the BBC cover paralympic sport every year terms of a comment that Phil made this morning through to the Games, through things like the where he described the project as a 50/50 project, it Paralympic World Cup in May. It is very important is 50% Olympic and it is 50% Paralympic. One of the to us that we can maintain the profile that we have benefits within Wales is that the work we have enjoyed since Sydney and certainly increasing contributed to the steering group—we sit on the through to Beijing. steering group as well—it is very much an inclusive approach to the way in which we are trying to Q19 Nia GriYth: In your written evidence to us you manage the Games and ensure that everything we do mention the need for a step change in school sport if for the Olympic side, we are equally trying to deliver we are to realise the benefits of the 2012 Games. Can it with the Paralympic message as well which is you explain to us what more you feel the Welsh extremely important from our perspective. It is a Assembly Government could be doing to create this very exciting project and in terms of telling some of change in this area? the stories it is going to be a very interesting project Mr Jones: The first thing to say about what is for young and old alike. actually happening at the moment is the Assembly Mr Jones: It is interesting how attitudes, in Government has been very, very supportive of this particular towards disability and paralympic sports, agenda in terms of the development of school sport have changed enormously in a relatively short space and participation, and that is exhibited by the of time. If you ask people like Tanni Grey significant increases in funding that I mentioned Thompson, Chris Hallam and John Harris, some of earlier. Our challenge and the challenge of our our past Paralympians, about their experiences, the governing bodies such as FDSW and others and Paralympics 10 years ago was a relatively small event local authorities is how to make the best use of that. with a relatively low profile. It was probably Sydney For example, in recent times we have been working that put it on the map, where they really did it give in nearly every single primary school in Wales—we priority and probably equality with the Olympic are at 94% of primary schools now through Dragon Games. I can recall a colleague of mine who was in Sport, we are rolling out 5x60 into every secondary Sydney at the time, going down the street and there school, we are at 98% of secondary schools, but in was a fellow in front of him in a wheelchair. A young many ways that is just a start because what we have lad came running over to ask him for his autograph; got in there is a part-time co-ordinator working with he was just a member of the general public—and he young people, asking them what do they want to do, immediately said to him “Are you a basketball not just football and rugby, but whether they want to player?” He associated people in wheelchairs with play badminton recreationally, whether they want to being basketball players—is that not fantastic— do aerobics, dance, dodge ball, whatever; things that rather than somebody who could not do anything will get them physically active at the end of the day. which in the past has been the way that people It is going to take us a while to get that rolled out into tended to look at disabled athletes. every night of the week, lunchtimes, weekends—we Mr Morgan: There is an interesting figure from BBC want to see mass participation in its true sense, not Wales in terms of its review of Paralympic sport periodic participation. That is going to take us the coverage from Beijing. They indicated that 13.2 next few years to ensure that that rolls out, but that million people watched the Paralympic Games for at is what the Olympics gives us the profile to actually least a 15-minute period in terms of the coverage that do, to keep on saying this is an important issue, not they provided, and obviously from our perspective just in the development of sport but in terms of they were providing daily coverage of at least one to getting more young people physically active at the two hours at a very good viewing time, and they also end of the day. We are working very closely with the provided interactive coverage for the first time. Chief Medical OYcer on the establishment of a Obviously, we would be encouraged and hope that physical activity action plan and these will be by the time we get to London—I understand that the important elements within that action plan to raise contract is not let at the moment in terms of who will the profile so that young people can understand that be televising and covering the Games—from our they must take responsibility for themselves. You organisation’s perspective the one major benefit of cannot make people be physically active and it is BBC of course is that it then goes out to regions and about getting over to them firstly that this is fun and nations networks as well and I noticed a huge uptake secondly that it is important that they take in terms of the interest whilst we were in Beijing at responsibility. We can give them the opportunity the Paralympic Games; BBC Wales had a fulltime now which is something that I do not think we have reporter at the Games covering radio, covering been able to say we could do before. The challenge television, and in terms of what that did, it sent out now is how can we best make it work, making sure Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 6 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones that schools work consistently with people like our inclusion agenda through. The one thing that we leisure centres, our swimming pools and our clubs. know by working with partners such as the That has not always taken place in a consistent Australian Sports Commission is that inclusion does format. For example, Hartridge down the road here, not happen by flicking a switch and the lights come making sure that whatever is going to be happening on, it is a long term process and it is about changing there in terms of 5x60 and extra-curricular activity perceptions, it is about changing the way that people there is consistency of programmes with what is plan and deliver and then monitor inclusively so that happening here and at the times that young people they see sport in the round. From a Welsh can actually do it. Those are the sorts of challenges perspective we are having very encouraging dialogue and that is what we mean by the national framework with our Sports Council for Wales partners, the for junior sport, which we have actually mentioned Assembly and governing bodies and I think it is an within our memorandum to you—making sure there agenda for change that we can set out, certainly over is consistency, synergy and co-ordination of that the next four to eight year period and, hopefully, we activity. can eVect real change during that time. Mr Morgan: We face the challenge of a slightly Mr Jones: There are some practical challenges in shifting agenda. I have already mentioned that the terms of how we actually run inclusive events. If I increase in participation has gone from 1200 to give you two examples of events that you will be 320,000 but the challenge for us now is to consider aware of that are inclusive to a degree, the first is the and to work with partners as to how best we can Commonwealth Games where there is a degree of ensure that children have got inclusive opportunity. disability involvement and the UK School Games as We know from colleagues at the Assembly well which will be held next in CardiV, Newport and Government that the number of children who are Swansea. That has an element of inclusiveness but it being statemented into mainstream education is is not totally inclusive in terms of all of the activities increasing and it is likely that possibly 80% of all because it is simply not practical—it is a bit like the children with a statement will be in mainstream. Olympics and the Paralympic Games: it would be Therefore, what we have to ensure is that when we nice theoretically to see all of that rolled into one but are delivering the junior school programmes across actually it is not practical to hold them because of Wales those people who are delivering the frontline the number of competitors that are likely to be stuV have been trained, they understand the involved, the number of oYcials, the time it takes to principles of inclusion, the principles of how we can run events, so there are issues of practicality and not adapt some sports and some environments so that just issues of principle. everybody is able to participate at the same time and at the same place. That is also about creating choice Q21 Nia GriYth: Are there any special provisions for disabled people as to where and when they would being made for less popular sports? like to do their sport and physical activity, and that Mr Jones: In what way? takes us into the agenda of governing bodies and working with our partners to ensure that whilst we are working with the community on inclusion plans Q22 Nia GriYth: Are there any particular measures we are also working with governing bodies in terms you are taking or any events that you are organising of how we develop their performance strands and or anything to cater for some of the less high profile their pathways for athletes. That is going to be quite things or the lesser taken up sports? a long term, challenging agenda and it is probably Mr Jones: When we look at what is actually going to be underpinned by good education and happening now in schools in particular, generally training. If we are going to have one of the key speaking I think we have to be careful about making sustainable legacies of 2012 inclusion is a principle sweeping generalisations here but the vast majority that we have got to build into all of our national of schools in Wales cater very well for football, sport development programmes from this point rugby, hockey and netball at the very highest levels. forward. If you are good enough to get into the first 15, first seven netball team, first 11 football team, you will get a game, but actually if you are not then there is not Q20 Nia GriYth: Will you be planning any specific the opportunity there for you, and if you are not events which will include disability sports or will you interested in those particular activities then there has be concentrating your eVorts on that inclusion not been in the past those opportunities. I think that within schools? is what we are trying to do in terms of 5x60, to work Mr Morgan: Currently, because of the network of with young people and say what exactly do you want development oYcers and partnerships that we have and at what level do you want to engage in that. If got across Wales there are activities and events going you do not want to play an intra-school competition, on throughout Wales, pretty much every week of the just playing with your friends, that is fine; if you just year. We delivered last year something like 350 odd want to knock a shuttle over a net and have a events at community level and we would want to friendly game and just have some fun that is fine, if maintain that level of activity and the quality you just want to do aerobics, that is fine. The accreditation if you like of that activity whilst we are challenge is to actually engage with young people then preparing this inclusion agenda, the and not just be able to deliver for them what they background to which will be the provision of very want but to get them involved in the delivery as well, good education and training materials, and a very actually to manage and to lead their own particular managed approach as to how we are going to see this sessions and to take ownership. If we are going to Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 7
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones have a situation in the future where we have mass because it is quite populous in many ways but participation we need significantly more volunteers actually it does not safeguard the majority of young than we have now, and that is very, very diYcult in people. You actually need significant procedures and the sort of culture that we have now where there is an policies about how you are actually going to operate expectation by many of the general public that an activity because the vast majority of paedophiles somebody else will do something for them rather in this country have never been caught, they are not than them taking responsibility. The leadership issue on any sort of list or whatever and it is those that are and volunteering issue is a very big issue for us in of greatest concern, not the ones that have been terms of 5x60, giving them the skills and trying to get caught. That is one area. The second area is the issue over to them that they have to take responsibility of insurance and liability and when you are actually and be able to take that back into their community saying to somebody yes, we want you involved as a and not just in a school environment. referee or an umpire or whatever but there is potential here that you could be sued, and all you are Y trying to do is give people the opportunity, a lot of Q23 Nia Gri th: Do you see any sort of permanent people are going to say I am not going to bother, this legacy in terms of facilities coming from the 2012 could be a threat to my livelihood, to my family, I Olympics and if so how might they be funded? We could be all over the newspapers, why should I even obviously know about the legacy in terms of attitude bother. There is a need to look at both of those if we and enthusiasm and preparation for the future, but are going to get that volunteering community spirit in any particularly concrete ways? back into our communities. Mr Jones: I do not think in all honesty that we will see in Wales a legacy of facilities, for a couple of reasons. One is the finance issues that we talked Q24 Nia GriYth: Are you saying that we are about, but actually the vast majority of national and suVering from significant shortages in terms of the regional facilities that we need in Wales we have expertise and personnel coming forward to do the developed over the years—there is the development training? of the national pool in Swansea and three regional Mr Jones: We certainly have a very big challenge in pools, the most recent one was opened in Llandudno terms of volunteering. The volunteering base recently and we have the regional pool just across the generally speaking in sport but also in many other way here in Newport; there is the development of areas of life is an aging volunteering base. We are national and regional athletics facilities, the national working very much now with young people to try and regional cricket facilities. So we have actually and get that culture back in there but there will be, been putting those in place over the years. Our there is no doubt, a gap there if we are not careful. challenge over the next three or four years is to make The vast majority of voluntary sports clubs in this sure that our partners, who have developed those country are run by people who are now getting into with us, actually have the finance and the priority to their sixties and seventies. ensure that they maintain those facilities. We do not Mr Carling: That is a serious problem. I was at a want a situation whereby in two or three years time cross-country championship in Bute Park yesterday Newport is saying this velodrome that we built here and I would have said that the volunteers were led by is fantastic, but we have not got the money to redo a guy who is 75 and mostly contemporaries of his the track and we are going to have to close it. That really. He said that it is very diYcult to persuade really would be a disaster for us, so those are younger people to get involved in volunteering and ongoing challenges. running things in the volunteer way that the sport Mr Carling: I think that is a no really. Picking up the depends on, because there is no question, is there point that Huw made before, which you may be able Huw, that sport in Wales and indeed everywhere to help us with, because I would like to add my depends absolutely on volunteers. impression on this, the volunteering question and Mr Morgan: Could I just add that in terms of welfare the problem we have with CRB checks. It is not that policies we believe there is a loophole at the moment we are against them at all but if a teacher teaches in because whilst children’s welfare is catered for under Bassaleg School and then coaches on a Sunday a raft of diVerent legislation that is coming forward, morning in the tennis club and then coaches a policy on vulnerable adults within sport is not a gymnastics on a Wednesday afternoon, he or she will requirement and if you take the principle through need three diVerent checks. We cannot see—I think the Paralympic Games and through the increase of we have made representations elsewhere—why there activity that we are currently providing for young should not be a passport and why that should be people, a lot of these children that we have been necessary. That is actually a very big bar on working with—we started six years ago—are now volunteers or a very big obstacle to volunteers when becoming young adults. We believe that there is a they first come in. It is a major concern to us. need for a policy for vulnerable adults to be carried Mr Jones: There are a few things which militate forward. We have undertaken work on it, we are against the development of volunteering at the ready with training materials, but we just feel that it moment. One is the CRB checks issue and arguably needs to have an increased place within the welfare there is a need to actually have a look at how system. People are going to increase within our eVective that is as a mechanism to actually protect sports system and if we do move towards inclusion young people. In my view it is not as eVective as then obviously we need to make sure that our front people believe it is. It is very seductive, it is one of line deliverers are all able to deal with this matter those things which people have grabbed hold of as well. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 8 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones
Q25 Hywel Williams: Can I just ask you about the chance of moving it forward and in Wales we have marketing and the raising of the profile of the already got a great base in terms of the disability Paralympics as compared to the Olympics itself. sport products that we already deliver. Where does that stand—presumably it is not going to be on the same level but where does it stand and are you happy or could more be done? Q27 Chairman: Could you describe to us how UK Sport, the Sports Council for Wales and also your Mr Morgan: I would hope that it is going to be done V on the same level. The one message that we brought organisations are working e ectively to ensure that back from Beijing was that the Olympic Games were we have the very best possible representation of marketed with all the Olympic logos and insignia Welsh athletes, Olympians and Paralympians? and the day after the Olympics finished that was Mr Carling: At the end of the day for us in Wales the taken down and the Paralympics rolled into town challenge is to deliver athletes to the top of their own and the marketing was absolutely superb; it was Elite Cymru pyramid and deliver as many athletes as unlike what we have seen before in Athens or even we can into the world class performance programme Sydney. I would hope that the aspiration of London run by UK Sport. There were some concerns three or is that whilst they are delivering an inclusive four years ago about the edges and people dropping framework for the Games they are going to take into a hole but largely the system is working quite account of the fact that there is an Olympic element well. Obviously, our objective is to deliver high class to the Games but then there is a Paralympic element performers to the world class performance to the Games; I think it is very important that the programme. You can say something about the detail way that they present London and other host of that. cities—Weymouth et cetera—must be to reflect both Mr Jones: Chairman, anybody who has the elements of the Games because from our perspective potential to not only get a medal in London but is those are the strong messages that we want to take actually going to be in the team is already in the away. Obviously in the lead-up to the Games it is system at the moment, so the challenges for UK interesting that part of the Singapore presentation Sport and the GB governing bodies is how do they was based around this notion of delivering a very ensure the best possible support for those inclusive Games; there have been challenges from individuals. We have tried to describe in our Paralympics GB to LOCOG to ensure that their memorandum how that is actually done in terms of early messages were recognised in both the Olympic getting the best coaches, the best competition and Paralympic movements. That is moving opportunities, the best sports science and sports forward but what we need to ensure is that that medicine support. Our challenge is very much message is endemic throughout the whole of the looking forward and beyond 2012 to 2014, Glasgow, London 2012 organisation and all representatives the Commonwealth Games in 2016 and the and staV carry forward that message. Sometimes it following Olympic and Paralympic Games and to might stay at the top end and does not always make sure that we have got people coming through materialise further down inside the organisation, but the system that have the best possible opportunities from our perspective we would like to see 50/50. and the best possible support. A lot of what we are actually doing is we are trying to really locate those programmes and policies within our communities. Q26 Hywel Williams: You talked earlier on about For far too long people have looked at these things inclusion as one of the legacies, hopefully; how will with a centralised approach, or that government can that be maintained after the Games? do something, or somebody in CardiV can do Mr Morgan: The legacy from the Paralympic side of something or whatever. Things happen within the Games is what we do in the next four years. We communities; people come up through communities, have created an environment in Wales where we now they need their best possible opportunities, hence the have a demand by children and young people to take establishment of things like the North Wales part in sport and physical activity; what we now need Regional Institute of Sport: how can we make sure to do is to expand the range of opportunities that are that individuals who live in North Wales, who are going to be available to those children, and the only talented, have the best possible opportunities of way we are going to do that as I say is by working success. Let us talk to them, let us find out their with partners to actually help them to be ready to needs, let us give them that support that they need so deliver programmes that are inclusive so that really that they do not have to rely on coming down to by the time the last day of the Games comes for the CardiV or going to Loughborough or anywhere else. Paralympics, when we have got a groundswell of Those are the sorts of decentralised approaches that enthusiasm from the next generation coming we are adopting at the moment. Clearly when you through, we are actually ready to promote the get an individual who then comes through the opportunities that are ready to go, that we have got system who is very talented and has got potential, coaches and volunteers who understand the invariably there is going to have to be some sort of principles of inclusion and that those opportunities movement to Swansea, to the national pool, to train are there, because if we are not ready then we will more regularly with national coaches there who have miss that Wimbledon fortnight opportunity that we got the GB national disability squad based there, or see every year in our parks. We have to be ready but to Loughborough where swimming is based. On I think the legacy is about the next four years. If we occasion some people may even move abroad to get do nothing now then obviously we can expect the best possible support that they actually need nothing in 2013; if we get it right now we have a great because of a specific type of coach. Nicole Cook, for Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 9
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones example, competes and trains out in Italy because athletes who are coming to the fore at that time. It is that is where the strength in terms of cycling really trying to ensure that as a home country with competition is on a day to day and week to week our system we connect with the lower end of the UK basis—she is based in Switzerland now. That is the system, and in disability terms that has sometimes approach that we adopt, very much a decentralised been a weakness in the system; the top end has not approach, trying to support young people but always met with the bottom end of the pyramid and making that competitor-centred so that we can give that is the key challenge for us as we move forward. them the best possible support and then pass them Mr Jones: It is probably worth mentioning that the on. structure that we have of disability sport in Wales is Mr Carling: One of the ways in which we are easily the most advanced in the UK and it is integrated better is that we provide sports science, probably the most advanced in the world. We can be sports medicine, physiotherapy and psychology for very proud of what FDSW has achieved over the last world class performance athletes in Wales whether six or seven years. they be Welsh or from the other home countries via an agreement with UK Sport. If English athletes or Q28 Chairman: You mentioned the North Wales Scottish athletes are training at the velodrome they Regional Sports Institute; have all of the regional can get sports science and all of that. That is sports institutes in Wales and Elite Cymru received something we could develop more and be much additional funding in order to prepare for the 2012 better integrated. The relationship in fact with UK Games? Sport and the world performance programme is Mr Jones: They have not yet but we are discussing better than it has ever been and improving. with UK Sport a financial package; that has not yet Mr Morgan: For Paralympic athletes, for those been confirmed but the figures that we have been athletes who are in the medal zone as Huw described, discussing with them we are very satisfied with they receive the same world class support system as because at the moment we are providing that out of their Olympic counterparts and our role there is to our own resources, and as it is very much their ensure that those athletes who are based back home responsibility in terms of doing that I think they in Wales are getting all of the services that they have accepted that as from 1 April they will be require within that world class support framework. paying for those talented individuals who are based It has not always been the case in Paralympic terms in Wales whether they are Welsh or whether, as Phil that that has happened, not from the perspective of mentioned a few minutes ago, they be Scottish, Irish Wales providing services but sometimes from the or English. perspective of some of the UK organisations perhaps, not having had the wherewithal in Q29 Chairman: You may well have answered this last Paralympic terms to provide an even-handed service question and it is about the Welsh Paralympians but across the whole of the UK. Our intervention role is it is well worth us hearing the answer again as I am very important there to make sure that that happens V sure you would wish to showcase it, particularly in e ectively for the senior athletes. The real challenge the light of the observations you made, Mr Jones. for disability sport and something that we are The Welsh Paralympians certainly have performed working with Paralympics GB and the other home well beyond what one would have expected countries on is how do we ensure that we have got according to the size of the Welsh population; would a feeder system of emerging athletes that are coming this be as a result of the structures that are already in through the system and breaking up into UK place? You have already said that but here is an governing body levels of activity. Our response in opportunity for you to say it again, I suppose, and Wales has been to develop what we call the academy for you to describe more fully in what way Wales is system; this is a pan-disability academy system so ahead of everywhere else, but also what else needs to even though today we are talking very much about be done in order to ensure that not only do those Paralympic athletes it also covers athletes who may Welsh Paralympians do well in 2012 but also be deaf or hard of hearing or possibly have an beyond that. intellectual disability who are currently outside the Mr John: I suppose we are lucky at the moment in Paralympic scheme. The academy is critical because that we have a number of athletes, we have facilities it provides us with an opportunity to tailor services and we also have coaches who all come together at around emerging athletes and really to give them the one particular time. One has to try to ensure that boost that they require at the right stage of their that continues and I would hope that as a development through sports science and sports consequence of 2012 funding will not be restricted in medicine, through the right levels of coaching and the future and we can continue to build on that. through access to facilities such as the velodrome so There is the danger if we are not very careful—and that we can accelerate their potential up into Huw said this earlier on—that if funding is restricted London and up into 2016. The academy seems to be facilities will begin to fall apart and we could have a progressing well to date; we had nine of the fifteen situation, again as Huw mentioned, where the new Paralympians from Wales who are part of Team volunteer base diminishes. If that does occur then GB; they came through the academy system at a time the good work which has been done in the past will when it was only a few years old so we would hope be negated. that we would by 2012 have a greater surge of Mr Carling: I think maybe there has been a measure athletes who are breaking up into UK level and of luck, but I can only endorse what Huw said, it has obviously by 2016 we will have a secondary level of been a fantastic programme. For me the value of Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 10 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Gareth John, Mr Jon Morgan, Mr Philip Carling and Mr Huw G Jones
Paralympic or disabled sport in Wales is a sports will this body exist. That is the longer term combination of elite success and opportunities at objective—it is a long way away but that integrated community level which is stronger in Wales than policy is everybody’s aim. anywhere else. I sometimes worry that the British PPA are creating Olympic athletes oV a plane and it Q31 Chairman: It seems to me that it chimes very does not have much foundation in the community; well with the recent observations by Trevor Phillips, here it has a very strong foundation in the the head of the Equality and Human Rights community and that will continue. It would be a very Commission, where he was talking about racism; he strong priority for us and it would be very unlikely was saying it is an equalities issue that we should not that funding of Disability Sport Wales would perhaps be speaking now about racism but about actually suVer as a result of any lottery downturn; it equality, and you are saying that about disability. It is a very big priority for Wales and they have done is a sea change, it is a culture change, which is already the most amazing job. It is easy to accept that now happening; we need to ensure that it is embedded and to look at the Paralympics in Beijing but there is strongly, it is sustainable at all levels, it is not just the famous story of the Welsh team going to the about the government at the UK level it is at the Commonwealth Games with Tanni and one other Welsh Assembly level, local government, voluntary disabled athlete sharing the same vest—that is not so organisations and so on all embracing the approach long ago. that you enshrined in your strategy. Mr Jones: You asked, Chairman, why have we been successful and I think the answer is because it has Q30 Chairman: Who was that? been a priority; that is the fundamental reason. If Mr John: Chris Hallam. you make something a priority you can achieve Mr Carling: Things have come so far and it is that success. Invariably people who do not prioritise base in the community and that strong community things will not achieve success in what they actually development that makes me confident that we will want and that is quite fundamental. There has been not run out of athletes. a commitment to that and I think as a council we Mr Morgan: The one thing that we have tried to do, fundamentally believe in sport for all. That term is Chairman, is almost take the word disability out of not used as often as it used to be in the 1970s and in what we have done. What we have tried to build many ways that is a bit of a pity but we are very since 2002 is a sports development model and we committed to that, and on the disability agenda have taken the principles of we want to increase because we have given it a priority both in what we participation and to do that we need to increase the V do in communities, through the establishment of coaching sta , we need to increase the volunteer sports development oYcers in every single local base, we need to have good clubs where people can authority, through the work that FDSW has done in participate regularly and we need to have terms of establishing the academy scheme, appropriate competition. Once we went through supporting talented individuals, it is a priority. What that phase, building the broad end of the pyramid if we have got to make sure is that as others see it as a you will, it was an easier job to then begin to consider priority they do not catch up with us. how do we have a talent identification system through the guise of the academy, through which we Q32 Chairman: In creating those kinds of priorities can nurture and develop athletes with potential and I am sure you would agree with me that you have role really try to be a wee bit aggressive in the high models and you have iconic figures like Dame Tanni performance area to work with UK partners to Grey Thompson who then inspires others, does she ensure that our athletes are recognised and they have not? got every opportunity to get to the very highest levels Mr Jones: We use people like Tanni—her name is they can. Obviously, by saying we take the word used quite often—but when you actually think disability out, everything we do has to take account about it we have Tanni Grey Thompson and David of disability but the way we view it is that we are Roberts who are the two most successful Paralympic running sports with additional requirements and as athletes in the world for all time, and they are Welsh. long as we understand the additional requirements Sometimes people do not actually realise that; what that we need and we understand the aspirations of a phenomenal achievement that is, to have the two the individuals that we are working with, then most iconic Paralympians in the world ever; we have hopefully that adoption of a simple sports them and they are Welsh. We should be enormously development model with really good people, which proud of that. is the key, which is driving it, hopefully that will Chairman: On that very positive note I would like to stand us in good stead for years to come. thank you all for your evidence this afternoon and Mr Carling: The irony too is that ultimately, if they also for the written evidence that you submitted are successful, and I am sure they will be, they will earlier. If you feel that there are other points that we work themselves out of a job because ultimately the have not covered we would be very pleased to hear swimmers will take on the swimming as part of from you in the very near future. Thank you very Welsh swimming and only in the absolute disability much. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 11
Witnesses: Mr Alun Ffred Jones, Assembly Member, Minister for Heritage, and Mr Arthur Emyr, Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator, Welsh Assembly Government, gave evidence.
Q33 Chairman: Welcome to the Welsh AVairs projects, and this impacts on the ability of local clubs Committee, Minister. Could you introduce yourself to improve their infrastructure mainly. That is and your colleague for the record, please? obviously a serious blow and, as I said, because of Mr Jones: Alun Ffred Jones, Heritage Minister, the loss of the lottery funding it is very often Welsh Assembly Government; Arthur Emyr who impossible to proceed with certain projects. That is leads for the Welsh Assembly Government on the the obvious impact of the loss of revenue from the Olympics and related matters and also is head of the lottery. Major Events Unit. Q36 Chairman: Could you describe to us the way in Q34 Chairman: Thank you. Could I begin by asking which you as the Welsh Assembly Government are you how will the benefits of the 2012 London Games working with the UK Government to maximise the be felt in Wales? benefits for Wales? Mr Jones: That is a very broad question but certainly Mr Jones: Probably Arthur is in a better position it will be felt in a number of diVerent areas. than I am to answer that question because he is Obviously, the fact that it is one of the biggest closely involved, but there are a number of points of sporting occasions in the world if not the biggest contact and we are part of the UK-wide event in the world will certainly have its eVect and organisations which are there precisely in order to will enthuse, I would imagine, young people and make sure that diVerent parts of the UK may benefit older people as well, in terms of sporting interest and in the long term. I should have mentioned when I interest in diVerent sports. One of the interesting mentioned the loss of lottery funding that the one things about the Olympics of course is that it gives a bone of contention which the Welsh Assembly worldwide platform to what are often called Government has with the funding of course is the minority sports which do not get a great deal of fact that a great deal of the spend on the London media coverage except in the Olympics and perhaps Olympics is on regeneration. The London Olympics one or two other sporting events, so obviously it will is very often justified, as far as I can see, in have that eVect. There are obviously opportunities Parliament itself in terms of the regeneration of parts for business because it is such a massive event. I was of the East End of London. If that is regeneration talking to Arthur this morning and he was saying money then we believe and the Government in Wales that there will be up to 75,000 individual contracts to believes that there should be a balance consequential be placed by the Olympic Authority and the London to that. After all, there is need for regeneration all Organising Committee as well. We know that certain over the UK and I would argue especially in many, companies have already had a certain amount of many parts of Wales. We have made that point to the work though this process and there is much more to Treasury of course but we have not succeeded in come of course. Also in terms of education there are persuading them to part with the dosh opportunities here which are mentioned in our unfortunately. presentation in terms again of not only the sporting interest but also in terms of international contacts throughout the world, and perhaps we will have an Q37 Hywel Williams: Can I invite you to comment opportunity to elaborate on those later on. on the fact that the Olympics is seen as being a UK- Obviously then there is the Cultural Olympiad which wide significant project and therefore does not again we have specified in the evidence and, again, attract the Barnett consequential whereas I we can elaborate on that in terms of the events that understand the Ryder Cup is being seen as a Wales have already been organised and some of the wider project and therefore is treated diVerently. implications of that. Then there is tourism of course Mr Jones: These are the London Olympics and I do as well which hopefully—although that is not think we should apologise for that. It is firmly conjecture—will benefit. There is a downside of seen as that and the Olympic Committee itself has course in terms of the loss of the lottery funding made it perfectly clear that it wants to see as many which has been estimated at £70 million, but in terms activities close to London as possible. Of course, we of the general loss to the sector it could be as high as had the unfortunate example, in my view, of the £100 million because the initial lottery funding often mountain biking events not coming to Wales or brings in other cash as well and many of these anywhere else although there are world class projects simply will not be there. Therefore, there facilities here. will be that subsequent or consequential loss, so we have to balance all this with that serious concern Q38 Chairman: World class mountains as well, of ours. unlike in Essex. Mr Jones: World class mountains, you are quite Q35 Chairman: Could you elaborate a little about right, but hills are being built elsewhere in order to that loss? How are you compensating for it? It is accommodate it. That is in accordance with the view diYcult to measure at the moment, I suppose, in of the Olympic Committee and that has suVered terms of the long term impact. that, but also if you look at the projected returns in Mr Jones: It is felt across the arts and sports as well terms of tourism again the projected figures talk and also in other areas because the biggest loss is about 70% of the advantage accruing to London from the Big Lottery Fund which means there are itself, the other 30% accruing to the rest of the UK. fewer projects going ahead, especially capital That is not insignificant, but those are the terms. I Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 12 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Alun Ffred Jones and Mr Arthur Emyr am not sure that you can compare them, but to agree case studies involving Welsh companies, or certainly the Ryder Cup will bring benefits to Wales they could be companies from any other nation or but will also bring benefits to a wider area as well. region, is not easy. That is a problem. Mr Jones: Four companies have won contracts and Q39 Hywel Williams: You did say earlier on in your 11 others have been shortlisted for contracts that we evidence that it is rather diYcult to account for know. Of course, the Department for the Economy benefits that might be coming to business in Wales in and Transport is actively promoting work within the terms of the placing of contracts. Are you actually business community to make sure that they are able doing anything to try to positively count those to bid for contracts or they are encouraged to do so. benefits for Wales so that we can see what positive evidence there is? Q41 Hywel Williams: Are you confident that those Mr Jones: Again I will ask Arthur to elaborate on people organising the Games in London have been this but apparently it is very diYcult if not suYciently enthusiastic about following up a chain impossible to actually track the number of contracts of supply or could they be doing more? Are they coming to Wales or anywhere in fact. Perhaps, enthusiasts or are they blocking? We might have the Arthur, you would like to comment. opportunity to put this very point to the secretary of Mr Emyr: Yes, we have invested as an Assembly state you see, and we would be interested in your Government in the London 2012 Business Network opinion. and we compete for the portal for business and Mr Emyr: In fairness to the Olympic Delivery games procurement together with Northern Ireland, Authority and the organising committee, the Scotland and nine English regions. There are two business network and the compete-for system, time diYculties in terms of assessing an accurate picture will tell how eVective that system will be in terms of of the return to Wales or in fact any other part of the driving business through to all parts of the UK. They UK and the first is that there is no database of the have been proactive in delivering with partners that whole of the supply chain. The Tier One contracts— initiative so the commercial opportunities are more those are the contracts that the Olympic Delivery open and transparent and accessible than any Authority are letting directly, of which there will be previous Games have been, but that is not to say it around 2,000, but that is 2,000 out of perhaps 75,000 is an open door for companies either. The Olympic contracts in total throughout the Games project and Delivery Authority and LOCOG have come to the whole of the supply chain—are well known and Wales, they have participated in business-facing what happens to them is in the public domain but in events in Wales on several occasions so they have terms of the whole of the supply chain, down done quite a lot in terms of attempting to meet us through the various contracting tiers, there is no halfway. That is not to say they cannot continue to database at present certainly. That is one part of the do what they are doing and to do more but also there problem, identifying which companies are actually is a responsibility on the private sector in Wales to getting what pieces of work, and where and working respond. Ultimately it is their opportunity and to whom. The other diYculty, and it is an sometimes I get a sense that some companies in understandable one but there is a balancing act here, Wales think this is a bit too diYcult, a bit too big for is that all those contractors working on the Games us, a bit too far away perhaps, but whether those project are required to sign no marketing rights barriers are real or perceived I do not know. All of us clauses. This is to protect the Olympic brand, which that have an opportunity to engage with businesses of course is very valuable to the organising in Wales, large and small, provided they are smart committee—this is the property they have and which and they are competitive—and we have many of they can raise their commercial revenues with, so if those—must make clear that the opportunities may you are a supplier from Wales entering into a be there for them. Certainly, if we do not make the contract, you are obviously paid and contracted for attempt we will not succeed. the goods or services you are supplying, but what Mr Jones: That responsibility of course extends to you cannot do is then market yourself as an Olympic all of us as Assembly Members and to Members of supplier. There is a value to being able to call Parliament as well to try to encourage companies to yourself an Olympic supplier and that is a separate see whether there are opportunities here because it is sponsorship agreement that would need to be agreed a lot of money and there are lots of contracts. with either the Olympic Delivery Authority or the London Organising Committee. Q42 Nia GriYth: May I just start with a small point of clarification? When you were talking about the Q40 Chairman: Have these issues been the subject of mountain biking event you suggested that the reason public discussion and public debate? I have not read Wales was unsuccessful was primarily because of a about them. London-focused approach. Would you say there are Mr Emyr: They have certainly been the subject of any other reasons why the bid was not successful? considerable discussion amongst the membership of Mr Jones: The working group made representations the Nations and Regions Group, with the Olympic to the organising committee that there were world Delivery Authority and with LOCOG because what class facilities here in Wales ready-made so there was we would like to know, obviously, is which Welsh no need to build anything, but I think it is the policy companies are being successful, to promote them of the International Olympic Committee that they and tell that story—where there is a good story to tell wish to see all of the events as close as possible to the we want to be able to tell it, but actually to be able central sites. Obviously if you have sailing you Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 13
19 January 2009 Mr Alun Ffred Jones and Mr Arthur Emyr cannot do it in Berkshire but that is why it is on the at all a short while ago, but because of these links south coast and not perhaps somewhere like and connections that we can generate in Wales that Pwllheli. may be an opportunity for us. There is an interesting link there to some of the investment that has gone on Q43 Nia GriYth: Could you perhaps tell us about and is still going on in facilities in Wales—the new what eVorts are being made to encourage visiting white water canoe slalom course that has been built V teams to make their base or their camp as it were in Cardi Bay of course will come on stream literally in Wales? in a year or 18 months or so. The Olympic gold Mr Jones: Again, this is a particular focus of the medallist in canoe slalom in Beijing was a Slovakian, Government and Arthur is leading on this. Of course so we have that connection and hopefully that will we have already had some success in that the add some value to the launch of that facility and pre- Australian Paralympic team has stated that they will Games training. As you have heard earlier this be based in Wales, between Newport and CardiV. afternoon it is something that is not just there for a They will be a large contingent and it is worth few weeks in 2012, it links to Glasgow 2014 and considering that if you think about the UK team other competitions in the future. It is just worth before the Sydney Olympics and then Beijing: they mentioning briefly as well that in terms of, for spent £1 million on Sydney and £1.5 million on example, the Australian Paralympic link they will be Beijing on camp infrastructure. That is a lot of bringing 300-plus athletes and support staV for a money to be spent locally. In terms of the UK the period of weeks in 2012, they will also be here in team was a very, very large one, but if we can individual sport clusters over the next four years. In multiply the number of teams such as Australia— fact, small groups of athletes from Australia already which is a very large team with 300-plus people— experienced camp in CardiV and in Newport—the elsewhere there are 31 sites that have been approved cyclists have been here at the village in Newport and so obviously that will bring a lot of benefits. That is using the velodrome and some athletes have been not only material benefits in terms of contracts and based at the National Indoor Athletic Centre in jobs and so on but also opportunities for local UWIC. They will not just be here in 2012, therefore, communities, local school children and young they will be here in small groups over the whole people and coaches to interact with those teams and period. make links that will benefit us in a far wider way than merely in the sporting context. Q45 Hywel Williams: Can I ask about the cultural and sporting events for young people and to what Y Q44 Nia Gri th: How many teams could we existent is this a UK programme or is the Welsh V accommodate in that way without a ecting use by Assembly Government organising its own the home side of facilities that are available? programme? If you are, how are you co-ordinating it Mr Emyr: As Huw mentioned earlier we are very with the UK-wide programme itself? grateful that the Sports Council has been able to Mr Jones: The Cultural Olympiad is a UK-wide facilitate the secondment of a pre-games training programme but there is a Welsh co-ordinator who manager for Wales who works at the Major Events has been appointed and is up and running. Of Team. His name is David Evans, he has a high course, you have details of the programme that has performance sport background but he has also been drawn up under the title Power of the Flame worked on three successive British Olympic and there are four diVerent projects there, one using Association holding camps: pre-Beijing, pre-Athens the connection with the eight major CADW sites and pre-Sydney, so we have somebody in a national throughout Wales including Harlech, Caernarvon, co-ordinating role who has experience of Olympic holding camps that is as good as anyone anywhere Denbigh, Flint, Laugharne and St David’s, and that else in the UK. We have shown you copies of the will involve artists and groups of local young brochure we have produced which talks about a people—it should involve hundreds if not thousands Team Wales approach to this; that can sound, I of young people. There is the other programme guess, quite glib at times but it is something that we which Disability Arts Cymru is involved with under are actually delivering from the top of government in the title of Prometheus, as I understand it, and then Wales, down through and across Wales. The First there are two other projects as well, the Urdd and the Minister, for example, has written to the presidents Valley Kids which is a very interesting link between of Olympic and Paralympic committees around the the Valley Kids programme which has been a huge world inviting them to look at Wales; of course it will success and the Urdd working together on an be their decision and not ours as to where they interesting programme with links to South Africa in prepare and train but we are fortunate in terms of a sporting connection. our devolved status that we have, for example, Mr Emyr: Valley Kids have a specific link with South something like 50 or 60 honorary consuls working Africa but they and the Urdd are also developing a on Wales’ behalf across the world and pre-Games range of joint activities. training is going to be a theme in a meeting with Mr Jones: Those are the specific things around the those consuls in the next couple of weeks. In fact, Cultural Olympiad but then there are wider one of those consuls has already made very high level opportunities of course to make international links. and eVective contacts and connections on our behalf I refer, for example, to the Australian team coming with the Slovakian Olympic Committee—that is a to Wales; there are opportunities there and I think relationship we had not anticipated we would have the education department is already in discussions Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 14 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Alun Ffred Jones and Mr Arthur Emyr about possibly making links between schools in Q48 Hywel Williams: In written evidence the Sports Australia and Wales. That opportunity may arise all Council for Wales suggests that a step change is over the world so there is that aspect of it as well. needed in school sports to maximise the potential benefits of the 2012 Games. What plans does the Assembly Government have to promote sporting Q46 Hywel Williams: Those are bilateral links excellence in schools? between Wales and other countries; what about co- Mr Jones: I am sorry, I missed the evidence given by ordinating events in Wales and taking advantage of the Sports Council but of course the Sports Council the opportunities that might arise on a UK basis as well? itself promotes activity in junior schools through the Dragon Sports programme and then in secondary Mr Emyr: The Power of the Flame projects are funded by the legacy trust so in eVect that is a schools through the 5x60 programme which aims to inspire young people to take part in sport and all community level tier of activity for the Cultural V Olympiad in Wales, but of course in terms of what physical recreation of di erent kinds, whether it is the London Organising Committee has to deliver or within school or perhaps outside school through is aspiring to deliver, there are two tiers of activity clubs. It is true that through those programmes there, one is the mandatory ceremonies and events specifically, I would imagine, and perhaps by which they are obliged to deliver to the International enhancing them we would hope to see more people Olympic Committee—the opening and closing being enthused by the Olympic Games. Listening to ceremonies, the torch relay, the medal ceremonies the discussion this morning, you can spend a certain and those sorts of events—and then there are the amount of money or more money in the hope that signature projects that were put in the London bid— you can get people involved but also what we do not the Shakespeare Festival, the Film Festival and so know is whether the Games itself will actually on, there are a raft of those major, UK-wide Cultural encourage people—young people especially—given Olympiad programmes. I think the chance for us the success of many of the Welsh athletes in Beijing; with Gwyn Williams as the programmer and will that encourage teachers and head teachers to be ourselves involved and the cultural community in more enthusiastic about these opportunities and Wales, one of our inherent strengths is that we find a getting young people involved. There is also the way to play into those projects and those ceremonies other very specific thing in that the UK School in as many ways as possible, whether it is through Games is coming to Wales this year. That will be our leading artists and performers, directors, 1500 elite athletes from all over the UK taking part choreographers, technicians and so on. There are in nine sports at centres in Newport, CardiV and opportunities and there is a series of conversations Swansea. That hopefully again, although I have not taking place, one very shortly in CardiV, led by been in any detailed discussion, should provide a Martin Green the head of ceremonies at the London platform, not only for young people but also to be a Organising Committee. He is coming to Wales to marker for success and enthuse people. talk to people here about the architecture of those and the ambition of those ceremonies and Q49 Hywel Williams: Will you be specifically mandatory projects that they need to deliver. There promoting sport for people with disability and also are also opportunities with things like the torch relay the less popular sports, is that part of your intention that will come to all parts of Wales and we have made formal and informal representations to as well? LOCOG regarding the torch relay, specifically in the Mr Jones: In terms of disability I heard the closing context of the Urdd National Eisteddfod which will remarks of the Sports Council which were very well be in North Wales in 2012; it will be the biggest event made that Wales can be rightly proud of the success in North Wales in 2012 and we have asked that in it has had in promoting disability sports through agreeing the torch relay programme we would very Disability Sports Wales under the leadership of Jon much like to see them find a way of bringing the Morgan. It is fair to say that not only has that torch relay to the Urdd Eisteddfod in North Wales success been seen in terms of medals and the in 2012. percentage of the UK team that came from Wales, but it is also fair to say that there is a huge amount of work going on just to give opportunities to people Q47 Hywel Williams: How far advanced are the to take part in sport and physical recreation for conversations? You said there was going to be a visit disabled people. It is one of the things that we can to CardiV; including something about Shakespeare really be proud of in terms of investment that has is shutting a barn door, is it not, it is dead easy. How gone in but also the enthusiasm which has been far ahead are the discussions about being creative embraced by the Sports Council and people out about opportunities in Wales as far as the Cultural there in the community. Olympiad is concerned or is it just having a look-see at the moment? Mr Emyr: In terms of the mandatory opening and Q50 Hywel Williams: I accept the softer things like closing ceremonies and so on, they are at the very enthusiasm and so on— early stages of planning those events and it is a Mr Jones: But in terms of sporting activity and framework and ambition conversation that is going disabled sports it is real in terms of the activity on at the moment. The detail, I suspect, will not taking place and the success that has come also at an emerge for at least a year or maybe more. international level. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 15
19 January 2009 Mr Alun Ffred Jones and Mr Arthur Emyr
Q51 Hywel Williams: I am not dismissing that at all the way they seek to activate their partnership with but can I ask you will there be a permanent legacy as the London Games, take a UK view of how their well in terms of improved facilities and playing activation programmes are developed. I think that is fields? Will there be that? an important agenda and one we should not lose Mr Jones: As I have already said the fact that the sight of. lottery funding has been cut means that there will be an eVect in terms of developing structures and facilities, but that money will come back on stream Q53 Chairman: Could we come back to the if we can engage more people to take part in sporting Paralympic Games? Are you confident that the activities and physical recreation in general. profile of the marketing of the Paralympic Games Although the Olympics are about sporting will be on a par with the Olympic Games in Wales? achievements, it is encouraging physical activity and Mr Jones: That depends really on what is happening physical recreation in a much wider context and not in London. One thing that has certainly happened— only in terms of sporting activity. One would hope of and it happened in Beijing I think—is that gradually course that this is a permanent legacy and that we the Paralympic Games have moved more into the can come closer to the Scandinavian model where public domain and into the vision of the public, in a people seem to be taking it almost for granted that way that I never suspected that it would really. you would involve yourself in some sort of physical Beijing was really a turning point in terms of the recreation or sporting activity and are much coverage as well and indeed it got quite high ratings healthier for it. There is no reason why Wales cannot even, maybe not for the first time but certainly for become a model itself of that sort of culture. the first time in my experience. I would expect that Mr Emyr: Perhaps just to add to that, I guess when to continue. Of course, the fact that the Olympics you are passionate about any subject, as a former will be held in London will make it more of an event sportsman and somebody who has worked in sports for us here in Wales: it is closer, it is happening next policy and is still involved with the sports agenda it is door and that in itself will generate enthusiasm and fairly easy in life to preach to the converted on pretty make both the Olympics and the Paralympics more much any subject but not so easy when people are visible and perhaps more immediate. The fact that less enamoured than you might be in terms of Wales has got a head start—though there is always a specific issues or policy agendas. The one thing I danger of other people catching on and matching us found in getting involved with the Olympic and in our eVorts—means we are well-placed to take Paralympic agendas in Wales is the degree of interest advantage of that. across individuals, organisations, sectors in the Olympic Games that you would not necessarily see in the context of any other sporting event. That is Q54 Chairman: Could I press you on that then? potentially quite a powerful dynamic, and Would we expect to see the Welsh Assembly potentially a powerful catalyst. Whether it is Government making a special eVort—never mind something that is there in the context of the about London—to ensure that what you just proposals our colleagues in the Education described then, the significant advance in Beijing, to Department in the Assembly Government are ensure that the Paralympic Games will be at least on currently producing in terms of their response to the a par with the Olympics? Games legacy agenda for Wales, or in fact any other Mr Jones: Perhaps I should point out that we had sector, that catalyst it is fair to say exists and can help two homecomings for all the athletes from Wales to influence and drive perhaps only an incremental Y who took part in Beijing and we treated them on a change, but if there are su cient incremental par. They were two diVerent events because of the changes across a nation then that can make a V timing but it was important that we acknowledged significant di erence. their success immediately on their return, and I think the Paralympians and the Olympians got five star Q52 Hywel Williams: I take it that this enthusiasm treatment, deservedly so, and I was very proud of the extends to corporate sponsorship and that it all fact that we pulled out all the stops for both teams. happens in a certain economic climate, while at the I would hope that we would do the same in the present time there is a downturn. Have you detected future—why would we not and why should we not? any eVect or do you foresee any eVect of the current economic situation in respect of corporate sponsorship? Q55 Chairman: Will the regional sports institutes in Mr Emyr: Clearly in terms of the corporate Wales or Elite Cymru be getting special additional sponsorship marketplace in one sense the Games funding in the run-up to 2012? have come to the UK at an unfortunate time; Mr Jones: I am not aware of any special additional nonetheless there are very major companies and funding being given to those programmes. Most of organisations involved in sponsoring the London the elite athletes, as I understand it, are already on 2012 Games. We have already seen evidence of the UK programme—there is an Elite Cymru squad Lloyds TSB, for example, investing in promising and if they continue to improve then obviously they young athletes throughout the UK and we are might go on to the UK programme. We are looking hopeful that organisations like BT and others that of course at the programme in general, at the way we have a significant presence here in Wales and of operate and how successful we have been, but at the course a very large customer base in Wales will, in moment there is no specific allocation of money. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:10:09 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG1
Ev 16 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
19 January 2009 Mr Alun Ffred Jones and Mr Arthur Emyr
Q56 Nia GriYth: How can we maximise the eVorts Mr Jones: And to make sure that people who come to encourage visitors to come here when they come to Wales are aware that they are in Wales, and to to the 2012 Olympics in London, and are there any improve customer care standards as well. particular agencies who should be working together to make sure that Wales is highlighted when the UK Q57 Hywel Williams: Wales is a bilingual country is marketed? and we are part of the UK process of delivering the Mr Jones: Perhaps Arthur will answer this in greater Olympics. Can I ask you, are you satisfied that the detail but there are ongoing discussions with Visit Welsh language and culture are suYciently Britain in terms of the profile of Wales and it is up to embedded in the whole delivery process, looking Visit Wales then to try and draw people from across the piece? London, but that is not an easy task, as we well know Mr Jones: In terms of the Cultural Olympiad I am because visitors to London tend to be directed sure that the Welsh language will be an integral part usually to well-known centres, either in England or of those programmes. In terms of educational V perhaps the higher international profile of Scotland. material that has been printed, the stu that has been The Ryder Cup may have an influence on this and if prepared for schools is bilingual and although there we can market the image and the brand image of is a website it is not fully bilingual yet. Arthur will Wales during the Ryder Cup then that may have an know more details on that. ongoing eVect for the Olympics, especially in terms Mr Emyr: Yes, the newly launched London Organising Committee education programme is Get of those countries which are golfing mad, and there Set. There was an earlier incarnation I’ch Marciau are an increasing number of those. That may have an (On Your Marks) and that was developed in full impact on that but Arthur perhaps can say consultation with the curriculum oYcials and something about the relationship with Visit Britain. education oYcials in the Assembly Government and Mr Emyr: There is a very close working relationship it was delivered bilingually. The Get Set programme between Visit Wales and Visit Britain and, clearly, was launched a few months ago and is still in fact a the 2012 Games are integral to Visit Britain’s plans Welsh site and a suite of materials that is in in the coming years. In fact, Visit Britain came to the development, but that will go live on a bilingual last Wales steering group 2012 meeting and gave a basis in the very near future as well. presentation on how their forward strategic planning is shaping up for 2012. Jonathan Jones, by Q58 Hywel Williams: That is material in Wales but the way, of Visit Wales sits as deputy chair of that we are going to be represented culturally, I assume, group, so we are working closely with Visit Britain in the other events in London itself. It might sound and within that context assessing how Visit Wales like a frivolous question but we are not going to see can specifically respond itself. As the Minister has any singing daVodils are we, or black-faced miners, indicated the Ryder Cup is an event of global appearing? significance in itself and that is the first global event Mr Emyr: I do not think that is likely. In terms of the over the next few years and Wales will be firmly the cultural programme we do have, as we have focus of that event. We need to work through 2010, mentioned, Gwyn Williams as creative programmer therefore, as part of the build-up to 2012 but also in for Wales who is working directly with the cultural terms of the dialogue with Visit Britain in fact we team in the organising committee. In terms of mentioned the Australian Paralympic Committee whatever is used to reflect Wales in 2012 it will and their decision to train in Wales. That hopefully be the image of Wales that we wish to relationship is now forming a part of Visit Britain’s project and not what others might wish to project. eVorts in promoting the UK in Australia, so there Mr Jones: The point you make is a valid one and are tangential links that can be usefully developed much has been made of the London Olympic bid here in a number of ways. being multicultural and reaching out to all parts of Mr Jones: Can I just mention that I had a discussion society. If the Olympic committee wishes to project with the Chair of Visit Britain and one of the issues an idea of the UK as a place of nations and regions that he mentioned and is concerned about is I presume they will be culturally aware of all parts of the United Kingdom, but time will tell. something that is not specific to Wales, it is the Mr Emyr: We have also facilitated discussions problem of the cost of visas to the UK. That is between LOCOG and the Welsh Language Board. proving to be a problem for visitors and that is There have been several discussions and, as I perhaps something that you might like to raise. As I understand it, they are working towards agreeing a said, it is not specific to Wales but it is a concern that Welsh language plan. If that is concluded it would be he raised with us. welcome. Mr Emyr: Just to add, the Croeso programme has Chairman: That is a very positive and challenging just been launched by Visit Wales which obviously is note on which to end. It will certainly inform, as all about gearing up the whole of the visitor and our evidence today will inform, our next session tourism industry in Wales for 2010 initially, but of which will be with the Olympics Minister, Tessa course that is part of the continuum and it hopefully Jowell, next week. Thank you for your evidence, will put the industry on a sound footing in terms of Minister, and that of your colleague this afternoon providing the best possible Welsh welcome in 2012 and also for your earlier memorandum; it was and in future years. extremely helpful to us. Thank you very much. Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [SO] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 17
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Members present
Dr Hywel Francis, in the Chair
Mr David Jones Hywel Williams Alun Michael Mark Williams Mark Pritchard
Witnesses: Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and Mr Alan Bucknall, Deputy Director, UK-wide Legacy, Government Olympic Executive, gave evidence.
Q59 Chairman: Good morning. Bore da. Welcome So that is very important for an economy like that of to the Welsh AVairs Committee. For the record, Wales which is changing. Obviously, we have to Minister, could you introduce yourself and your record concern at the Corus job losses that were colleague? reported yesterday. So there is considerable Tessa Jowell: Thank you very much, Chairman. I opportunity. One thousand Welsh businesses have am Tessa Jowell, I am Minister for the Olympics and registered as part of the electronic brokerage Paymaster General, and my colleague, Alan network, but I think only four contracts have Bucknall, from the Government Olympic Executive, actually been awarded to Welsh businesses. is the Director of UK Legacy. Obviously, we are making an enormous eVort to try to ensure that the benefits of this, potentially, up to Q60 Chairman: Could I also say, for the record, that £6.1 billion of investment for the development of the we had a very productive evidence session in Olympic Park are actually available right round the Newport last week, where we had the Welsh UK. What we will be very happy to do is to ensure Minister, Alun Ffred Jones, before us and his that the Olympic Delivery Authority meet with the colleague, sporting bodies involved in the Olympics Welsh business support services to see whether more and Paralympics and some athletes as well. It was a can be done to support Welsh businesses in utilising very positive and upbeat meeting. this opportunity. However, there is a point where Tessa Jowell: Good. I am very glad. there is a limit to anything that we can actually determine centrally, but I would record that Wales’ Q61 Chairman: Could I begin by asking you, registrations are 2% of the total number of Minister, first of all, a very general question about registrations on the CompeteFor network, and, as I the benefits of the 2012 Olympic Games. How will say, the direct contracts are only in the region of they be of benefit in Wales? about four. That is very substantially less than I Tessa Jowell: I think the possibility for benefit is very think you would be hoping for. Four businesses great, and Wales is already beginning to realise some registered in Wales have won work supplying the of that through the opportunities to host visiting Olympic Delivery Authority. national Olympic committees, their teams and Chairman: We can see a number of supplementary through the provision of training camps and questions queuing up here. acclimatisation and preparation facilities. Throughout Wales there are some 31 training camps which are part of the online schedule which the Q62 Mark Pritchard: Good morning, Minister. You Organising Committee published in the summer. I have mentioned “a lot more Welsh businesses could think there is a very great opportunity for the local be doing more”. Do you think, given that small, authorities, for champions within Wales to be very medium-sized and large businesses are struggling in V proactive in encouraging other national Olympic Wales—people are being laid o ; people are losing committees to come and use the facilities. You will their jobs—that the Government have got their be, obviously, delighted that the Australian priorities wrong when a senior Minister is saying Paralympic team have decided that they are going to they should be doing more for the Olympics? use the facilities in CardiV. So that is the first point. Tessa Jowell: Let me be clear on what I mean by The second is through the potential to bid for that: it is not businesses doing more for the Olympics Olympic related contracts directly and through the but maximising the benefit that the Olympics can supply chain. Our feeling—and this has been bring. This is a £6.1 billion investment in the reflected in some of the Parliamentary answers that economy of the UK, and one of the reasons that the I have provided—is that there is still an enormous ODA have gone to the eVorts they have in creating amount more that Welsh business could be doing in the electronic brokerage system of notifying order to benefit from the potential investment. There businesses that contracts are available, tenders are is still another £500 million worth of work to be being invited, and, also, facilitating the linking of contracted, and a week-and-a-half ago we firms who may themselves be too small to be credible announced that those supply chain contracts would competitors with other relevant businesses, is be liable, also, to mandating of a requirement to because we are maximising the opportunity for that provide apprenticeships and training opportunities. benefit to be spread and providing direct assistance Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
Ev 18 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
27 January 2009 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP and Mr Alan Bucknall and help to precisely those businesses, even more so Q67 Hywel Williams: Could you file regular reports because we recognise the pressure that they are in the future, in that there is another three years to under and the extent to which they are struggling. go, and hopefully we will be focused and it would be good if this Committee could be involved? Q63 Mr David Jones: Good morning, Minister. You Tessa Jowell: I would be delighted to do that. tell us that four contracts have so far been awarded Obviously, this is the period of maximum activity on to Welsh businesses. Are you able to tell us the value tendering, but there will be further contracts once of those contracts? the staging phase begins to tender for work. I would Tessa Jowell: It runs to thousands of pounds rather be delighted to update the Committee on the Welsh than millions of pounds, but we also expect that companies that are benefiting. (and, again, Chairman, I am very happy to provide you with the information when it is available) by Q68 Mark Pritchard: Minister, you mentioned UK- round about Easter the ODA will be able to provide wide benefits but is not the story of the Olympics in us with a more precise estimate of the supply chain the United Kingdom developing into the narrative value of contracts that have been let, that do not disbenefits? One example in Wales is that recently in necessarily show up in these headline figures. You the Welsh Assembly, as you probably know, your will understand the complexity of this but we expect counterpart in Wales, suggested that up to £100 those figures to show the value to Wales to be very million of Lottery funding could be diverted away substantially more. from good causes and other worthy organisations in Wales as a result of a lack of private capital and investment in the Olympic projects. What do you say Q64 Mr David Jones: You say thousands rather to those organisations that might have to close or, than millions? certainly, suVer as a result of not receiving that Tessa Jowell: Yes. Lottery funding? Tessa Jowell: The figure for Wales is about £65 Q65 Mr David Jones: Are you talking about the low million, not £100 million. That is the first point. thousands, or tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands? Q69 Mark Pritchard: Is that an acceptable figure, do Tessa Jowell: I think it is tens of thousands. you think? Tessa Jowell: It is a figure which recognises the fact Q66 Hywel Williams: Good morning, Minister. that for the period of the Olympic Games there is a Delivering the Olympics will be a very complicated good cause, which is the Olympic Games, just as the aVair. Do you have a robust system for identifying Millennium was an additional good cause for a and then accounting for any contracts directly to period of time. The Olympics is a national event and, Wales or indirectly through sub-contracting? If you undoubtedly, London derives the greatest benefit have such a system, can you undertake to give this but I hope that what you will recognise from the Committee regular reports in respect of the number evidence I will give you this morning are the V and also the value of contracts let with Welsh concerted e orts that are being made to ensure that companies? the benefits are spread UK-wide. So a decision was Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority does taken that the Lottery would be a major contributor. have a record of, obviously, all the businesses and The Lottery is contributing about 23% of the overall where they are that win contracts. What sometimes cost. Of course, 64% is coming from the Exchequer complicates that picture is where you have, perhaps, (the taxpayer), 23% is coming from the Lottery, and an English based company that has subsidiaries in the remainder is coming from London. So those are their suppliers in Wales or Scotland or Northern the proportions and, no, I do not think that it is Ireland. We are seeking to refine that information so unreasonable. Secondly, the way in which we have that we have an accurate picture of the value of structured the Lottery contribution makes it Olympic investment that is going into the Welsh absolutely clear that there will be no further take economy. What I want to underline is the from the Lottery and, indeed, once the land in the importance we attach to the UK-wide benefit from Olympic Park begins to be sold after the Games then this investment; that businesses who are struggling there will be a return to the Lottery of up to the £675 should derive benefit from this Olympic investment. million that will be diverted from 2010 onwards. We need to be able to show you through our recording how that investment is going. So we can Q70 Mark Pritchard: Given the credit crunch, do give you the information now that 1,000 businesses you think you would have failed as a Minister for the are registered on the electronic network for contracts Olympic if there is an increase either in the public (and, as I have explained, fairly small contracts sector funding or an increase in taking further funds awarded) and oVer to ask the ODA to go and talk to away from the National Lottery? the business support network to see what more help Tessa Jowell: There will not be any further call on can be provided to encourage more of those 1,000 London or the Lottery, and both I and the relevant businesses—perhaps with linked bids with other subsequent Secretaries of State have made that companies. The final point is that round about absolutely clear. In relation to the overall budget, the Easter we will be able to supply you with the larger budget is £9.325 billion and the impact on the figure that will demonstrate the supply chain benefit Lottery is not because of loss of private sector equity to the Welsh economy. as a result of the credit crunch; the impact on the Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
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Lottery is an impact that was determined as part of for the national team, and, in fact, have some benefit the original funding package. So the impact on the for Wales as well because a lot of people commute loss of private sector equity for two of the projects— into Shropshire from Wales? the Olympic Village and the press and broadcast Tessa Jowell: Can I write to you about that since the centre—is being met from the contingency, and there decisions about Lilleshall and the way in which its is suYcient provision within the contingency to facilities are used are not decisions for me; they are cover that. decisions for the Secretary of State for Culture and the Sports Minister. I am very happy to make sure that that information is provided to you.1 Q71 Mark Pritchard: I have one, final softer Chairman: Unless you wish for the Wrekin to question for you, if I may. It seems that everybody is become part of Wales, I am moving on. suVering from the credit crunch and having to make Y Alun Michael: It is obvious that the Secretary of very di cult decisions as a result of that. You seem State has not been briefed that Shropshire has to be telling the Committee today, unless I have moved into Wales. It is probably a good idea. mistaken your replies, that despite the credit crunch nothing is really going to change, that you are on course and it has not impacted on the delivery of the Q73 Hywel Williams: Can I just ask you about the Olympics. To me that sounds strange because you figure of £100 million or £63 million, I think you will probably be the only department in government said— that really is not suVering as a result of the credit Tessa Jowell: It was £65 million. crunch. Tessa Jowell: Let me just set out very briefly what the position is. We have a budget of £9.325 billion and Q74 Hywel Williams:—which has been lost to Wales. Does your estimate include the match funding that that budget is subject to day-in, day-out scrutiny for V cost savings, and the flexible use of the contingency would be a ected by having the money that is now is praised by the National Audit OYce. We publish being lost? Both you and I come from the third the figures on a quarterly basis in order to maximise sector, and for every pound you get in you are able to attract a pound from somewhere else—perhaps even transparency. We have every reason to be confident more. Have you taken that into account in your that the budget will be suYcient for the construction costings? needs and the other commitments that that budget is Tessa Jowell: No, all the calculations in relation to intended to fund. The use of the contingency is what the Lottery are specifically related to Lottery provides a degree of protection from the impact of funding; they do not take account of the leverage the credit crunch. There has been the loss of some value of that money. private sector equity in relation to the Olympic Village and, also, loss of private sector equity in relation to the construction of the press and Q75 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you to speculate as broadcast centre, but for now, because the to how much extra funding might be lost by the loss imperative is to maintain the construction of that £65 million? Would it possibly be another programme, we are able to increase the allocation £65 million? from contingency and to meet it within the Tessa Jowell: The impact will vary. I think three or headroom available because certain of the risks that four years ago the formula was about £1.50 for every were funded within the contingency have not pound of Lottery, sometimes £2, sometimes more materialised. So there is suYcient headroom for us than that, but it is impossible, in the present to cover that loss. The point you make, though, is economic climate, to assume that that leverage what is the Olympics doing for the credit crunch, and impact remains the same. Specifically for the for the businesses that you refer to in Wales that are purposes of your inquiry the figures that I quote refer suVering and people who are worried about the only to money raised from the Lottery. impact on them. The argument is that the £6.1 billion worth of investment that is going into the Olympic Park, plus the available further £2 billion of Q76 Hywel Williams: As a conservative estimate, contingency, is investment at a time of great between £1.50 and £2. It might be substantially more economic need, and that is why we are making this is lost to good causes in Wales than the £65 million. eVort to make sure that the investment is available Tessa Jowell: It may be a loss between 2009 and 2012 right round the country. Indeed, also, to businesses but the fact is that the benefits—this is why it is so in Wales which are feeling the strain, who should important that we do everything we can to support derive benefit. all the agencies in Wales to maximise the benefits for the Olympics. Just look how brilliantly Welsh athletes did in the Beijing Games. Just look at the Q72 Mark Pritchard: As a Welsh/English borders, number of world-class facilities that Wales has; look Shropshire MP, the Lilleshall National Sports at the potential tourism benefits; look at the fact that Academy—you know it well—I have asked you there are already 1,000 businesses that are registered many times, I think, on the floor of the House for Olympic business. What we have to do is work through regular questions whether Lilleshall will together to make sure that the potential that Wales form part of this UK-wide Olympics. 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Q77 Hywel Williams: I am just concerned that those Q81 Alun Michael: That will be the Overseas benefits should be accounted for properly. Thank Defence Academy, would it? I hate acronyms. you. Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority. And Tessa Jowell: If I can be absolutely clear about this, also visits by the Organising Committee. none of the figures relating to the Olympic Lottery budget are expressed in the terms that you suggest; they are all expressed only in terms of a Lottery Q82 Alun Michael: The specific point I was getting pound. at, though, because I appreciate the number of Chairman: Can I ask the Committee that when I say formal arrangements, was that there could be a one supplementary question I mean one ramping up of the relationship between yourself and Y supplementary question, and I will cut them oV next your o cials with the Assembly Government in time. I am just telling my Committee: one view of the fact that this does not go through the supplementary. Barnett formula; therefore, that relationship could be particularly valuable. Tessa Jowell: Yes, absolutely. Q78 Alun Michael: Can we look at the relationships? You have just said it was very important to have good relationships to maximise the value of the Q83 Alun Michael: Could I ask also about direct Olympics within Wales. One of the consequences of links to local authorities in Wales and to voluntary what you described earlier is that the Olympics organisations in Wales, particularly in the constitute a UK good cause, so there are legacy and community and sporting fields? Do you have a good regeneration benefits, partly focused on London but link with the representative bodies in Wales of those partly UK-wide. That means that the consequences organisations? do not flow through the Barnett formula and Tessa Jowell: Yes, I think there is. For instance, one through the Assembly; therefore, it depends on your small arts organisation in Wales has already been relationship and that of your oYcials with the recognised through what we call the Inspire Mark, Assembly, the extent to which they are able to make which is the Olympic logo without the rings, which sure that those benefits are maximised. Can you tell imply commercial association and sponsorship. us a little bit about the relationship between you and This, again, in the three years we have ahead, we your oYcials and the Welsh Assembly in trying to expect to be a much more prominent way of making make sure that that happens? those links explicit. Tessa Jowell: I am very happy, as part of the work of the Nations and Regions Group, which is led by Charles Allen, to ensure a high level of formality in Q84 Alun Michael: The reason I am asking the discussion with the Assembly than is the case at the question, if I can explain, is not to question the moment. Certainly, when, for instance, we were elements that you have set up but just that, generally, finalising the Lottery agreement, of course we had things would normally be just left to the Welsh discussions with the then Welsh Minister and Assembly, because the finance would go through the Ministers from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Barnett formula in the Welsh Assembly (and the There is not a formal relationship between the question of the trickle down, if you like, from this), Olympic Executive and the Welsh Assembly. If one and there is, perhaps, a need during the pre-Olympic of the recommendations that comes from this period for a more direct relationship both with the Committee’s inquiry is that you would value that, Welsh Assembly Government and with the then, of course, we would be happy to pursue that. representative bodies of local government and voluntary organisations in Wales. Tessa Jowell: We believe that that exists through the Q79 Alun Michael: So, essentially, you would be executive membership of the Nations and Regions open to ramping up the direct contact that you and Group, which then is responsible for leading the your oYcials have with the Assembly Ministers and development of these relationships across Wales. If oYcials in that way? your considered view is that there should be a further Tessa Jowell: Yes, absolutely. It is worth just making level of engagement, then I would be delighted to clear to you that there is a Welsh Assembly respond to that. representative on the Nations and Regions Group. Alun Michael: That is very helpful, thank you. Q80 Alun Michael: We all know that that can be not necessarily a substitute for a direct relationship Q85 Mr David Jones: Minister, you have been at between— pains to point out these are to be the UK Games, but Tessa Jowell: The role of the Nations and Regions I think that you would recognise, would you not, Group is going to accelerate in its importance that there is a degree of disappointment within Wales because of our commitment that these are the UK that more events are not being held there. I think, in Games in London. If your view is that that fact, the only events that are being held directly in relationship should be further strengthened, I am Wales are some heats of the football tournament. entirely open to ways in which that might be Why was it not possible to have more events in achieved. Just to get on the record the other ways in Wales? which there is a high level of engagement, the ODA Tessa Jowell: I do recognise your disappointment, visits and ODA engagement with the Welsh particularly about the mountain biking being held in Assembly – Essex, and I have to tell you that your Secretary of Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
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State, Paul Murphy, was a very staunch advocate of country; it is not diYcult to get around. Given that mountain biking and other Olympic benefits for you have an aspiration to make this the UK Games, Wales. I think I do have to press you on this. There is huge disappointment in Wales that Wales is, really, Q86 Mr David Jones: Particularly since Essex is not receiving nothing at all, except for certain stages of noticeably mountainous. the football tournament. In fact, I would dare say Tessa Jowell: Let me just say that the decisions that that is probably because the Millennium about venues are decisions taken in close discussion Stadium in CardiV is a world-class facility, and you with the International Olympic Committee, led by can hardly ignore that. the Organising Committee. In this respect, we are, Tessa Jowell: It is a world-class facility and it will essentially, a key partner with the International host a number of the football matches, as the Olympic Committee. They made absolutely clear Hampden Stadium in Glasgow will also host part of that one of the most important characteristics of a the football competition. There are many reasons London Games would be that they would be that guide the International Olympic Committee in geographically compact. So decisions in relation to this. One is the wish of athletes to be part of the shooting, for instance, were taken in light of that, whole Olympic festival, and the extent to which they and, also, the decision in relation to mountain will live in the Olympic Village, they will be close to biking, which was approved by the IOC. So, I the venues and they will be part of the overall understand the disappointment in Wales that Olympic experience—some 10,500 of them. That is mountain biking could not be located there; it is the first point. The second is looking at the located in Essex. There are mountain bike venues aVordability: building a single athletes’ village rather that are part of the approved preparation camps, so I than athletes’ villages associated with venues all hope that within Wales eVorts will be made to ensure round the UK. To a very great extent we have been that mountain bike teams come and prepare in given a template by the IOC; it formed part of our those facilities. bid, and the compact Games was a very important part of why we won. You should not overstate the Q87 Mr David Jones: Yes, but, with respect, degree of dispersal in China; it was very specific and Minister, it is not the same thing; preparation is very two sports. It is our wish, as government, to diVerent from competition, particularly since, I maximise the UK-wide benefits and UK-wide think, in Neath Port Talbot there is a very well- participation that leads to the eVorts that I have set developed mountain biking facility. I am sure that out earlier. my colleague, Mr Williams, for example, will be disappointed that none of the sailing events are being held in Pwllheli, where, again, there is a high Q90 Mr David Jones: Do you happen to know the quality facility. It does seem that, whilst you say it is cost of constructing the mountain biking facility in intended to be a compact Games, it is really very Essex? London-centric. Tessa Jowell: It is still, from memory, a matter for Tessa Jowell: You are absolutely right; it is, negotiation and the final contract being agreed. I principally, a London Games. We might all wish that know what our indicative figure is but it would not the venues could be spread all round the UK so they be appropriate to publish that at this stage. I am very would be the UK’s Games, but we would not have happy, Chairman, either to provide it in confidence won the bid. I do not want to raise any hopes that V or to let you have it once the negotiations are anything will now be di erent. It is absolutely 2 legitimate to register your disappointment but what complete. I cannot do is to hold out any possibility that Mr David Jones: Thank you. anything will change, because it will not. The important thing now is that the final decisions on the venues have been taken and that progress on their Q91 Mark Williams: You mentioned the Australian construction proceeds on time, which means that we Paralympic team’s decision to base its training camp have our best chance of making sure it proceeds in Wales. How proactive have you been as a Minister within budget. in promoting that list of the 31 Olympic and Paralympic training venues across Wales? I very Q88 Mr David Jones: You said you were anxious to much welcome that and I appreciate what you say have a compact Games. As you know, the Beijing about dispersal and how important that is, but I just Games had many events many hundreds of miles have to reiterate what Mr Jones said: it is really away from Beijing. important that we get that right because the figures Tessa Jowell: Well, it had two: sailing and we have heard this morning about four companies equestrian—equestrian in Hong Kong and Sailing in and contracts of up to £100,000 and the fact that Qingdao. Our sailing will be at Weymouth and our there are only two events outside London, does equestrian will be in Greenwich Park. resonate very precisely— Tessa Jowell: It is more than two events outside Q89 Mr David Jones: Given that in Beijing they were London, but within the context of the IOC prepared to go further afield, I cannot understand. requirements that the Games are compact. 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Q92 Mark Williams: I know you understand the took place. There were five events that took place in scepticism in Wales, but you talk about a UK Wales in August to celebrate the handover and the Olympics and then you talk about a compact beginning of the Cultural Olympiad, with five events London Olympics. People are very concerned specifically in relation to the celebration of the about that. Cultural Olympiad, which included lighting up the Tessa Jowell: Beyond the staging, what I have been Millennium Centre in London 2012 colours and setting out are the benefits that can derive to Wales Sing the Nation in Swansea and CardiV, part of a from the Games. I think the other point I would festival which was to unite the whole of the UK in make is that yes, I have promoted the attractiveness song. That will be one of the continuing programmes of training camp venues right across the UK. I spent of the Cultural Olympiad. Yes, the cultural tradition a very large part of my time in China promoting the of Wales has got a huge contribution to make to the UK as a destination, particularly to Chinese Cultural Olympiad, and the signs are that Wales is businesses and to the many national Olympic ready and, indeed, playing its part in that. committees that were gathered there. What I would also say is that this should not all be done centrally. I will spend every waking minute promoting the Q95 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you specifically what benefits of the UK, but there is a very exciting role is the status of the Welsh language on the 2012 for Wales itself, either through the Assembly, website and, also, in the Olympic publications? through Members of Parliament or through local Tessa Jowell: I am advised that on the LOCOG authorities, to do this promotion of the Welsh website there is information in the Welsh language. benefits and the attractiveness of Wales to visiting teams. So I think this has to be a shared responsibility rather than something that is simply Q96 Hywel Williams: I was just wondering about its done from either the Olympic Executive in London status. Perhaps I could just illustrate this. Before this or from the Organising Committee in London, and Committee meeting I did Google the “London 2012 that is why we are building this very strong nations Olympics”, and that Google generated 3,190,000 and regions capacity. entries. I then Googled: “Olympau 2012 Cymru” (it was a very narrow request) which means “Olympics Q93 Mark Williams: Mr Michael talked about 2012, Wales”, and that generated three: two from the formalising the relationship between the National BBC and one from a private individual. Assembly and the Olympic organisation. Are you Tessa Jowell: But not from the website of the satisfied that the National Assembly and local Organising Committee? authorities are rising to the challenge in terms of promoting those venues for training camps, for instance? Q97 Hywel Williams: As I said, it was a very narrow Tessa Jowell: I am not party to all the discussions request. It seems to me, therefore, that that suggests that may currently be under way between Welsh there is not a buzz amongst the mixed society about local authorities or the Assembly and countries. If the Olympics in Welsh. Three million-odd in English you are doing this it necessarily will tend to be within and three in Welsh. Does that not suggest to you that a fairly private context at the outset. So if you ask me the message is not getting through in Welsh? whether I know about every single negotiation that Tessa Jowell: The first point is that I think we need every single Welsh local authority is undertaking, to look at that, and I am very happy, again, if the no, but I would not expect to. However, what I Committee wishes to recommend in specific ways would expect to do, at the point where a deal is being how we can improve the situation, to consider those sealed, if we can add value and certainty to that, is very carefully indeed. I am advised that the to make sure we do, and then to keep on, as we Organising Committee have developed a Welsh area review the level of take-up across the country of the of the website; that LOCOG is working closely with 630-plus venues, to look at the degree of spread, to the Welsh Language Board and that the Organising look at whether there are parts of the country where Committee also ensure that all public-facing nothing is happening and look at whether, therefore, campaign activity in Wales is in Welsh: the 2012 we need to engage with those local authorities, the roadshow, for instance, certificates for Welsh venues national governing bodies and say: “You are not and the training camp guide. So there is a very full promoting X part of the UK”. commitment to ensure that the Welsh language is properly represented, and I am, again, happy to send Q94 Hywel Williams: Are you confident that the you some supplementary information about that so cultural events leading up to 2012 and also the that when you come to consider your Games themselves will reflect the full cultural recommendations you can make a judgment about diversity of the UK? whether it is adequate. From what you say, I am sure Tessa Jowell: I certainly hope they will, yes. All the we can.3 eVorts will be made to make sure that they will. I think the Eisteddfod will be taking place at about the same time as the Olympics, or very close to it, and Q98 Hywel Williams: I just think it is important to that is a fantastic opportunity, not just in 2012 but, generate some excitement. obviously, in the run up to the Games. 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Tessa Jowell: I absolutely agree with you. education between the ages of 16 and 19 and, beyond that, a very clear target that two million more people Q99 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you about the will play sport and be physically active by the time cultural diversity of the four nations of the UK? we get to 2012. The latter are targets for England Does the approach extend to the corporate sponsors being delivered through Sport England, but it would of the Games as well? be our expectation that the Sports Council in Wales Tessa Jowell: The programme? would have a similar ambition.
Q100 Hywel Williams: As far as reflecting the Q104 Mark Williams: The National Assembly diversity.Does that extend to the corporate sponsors Government has a very clear strategy on those as well? matters. Are you doing anything specifically to Tessa Jowell: If I understand your question, in the encourage volunteering? There have been activity that corporate sponsors invest in, is the representations made to this Committee about the diversity of the UK represented? lack of coaching available and concerns over CRB checks. Just to carry that a stage further, you have Q101 Hywel Williams: Exactly. talked about institutions of education, but beyond Tessa Jowell: The answer to that is yes, and that that? would be through the activities that are generated by Tessa Jowell: The volunteering is one of the great what is called the activation budget of the opportunities for the Olympics, and the Organising sponsors—the Tier one, Tier two and Tier three Committee itself will need about 70,000 volunteers sponsors—delineated on the basis of how much to work within the Olympic Park and other Olympic money they contribute. Yes, we would certainly venues, like the Millennium Stadium, during the expect diversity to be recognised. period of the Games. However, we want to go much further than that because quite a substantial Q102 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you one other proportion of those volunteers will be people who question? You mentioned earlier on the Eisteddfod have specialist skills—paramedics, security and so in Wales. There is also the Urdd Eisteddfod, which is forth. Already, I think, the latest figure is 150,000 the Olympic Eisteddfod. Can I ask you, specifically: people have registered on the Organising there has been a request that the Olympic Torch Committee’s website to be volunteers in 2012. So Relay should visit the Urdd National Eisteddfod. over the next three years we are going to see, I think, When will a decision be made on the route for the an explosion in interest in people right across the UK torch relay? in volunteering as part of the Olympics. Tessa Jowell: Probably not for at least a couple of years, but I am quite sure that you will come back many times to press the case for that, and I can well Q105 Mark Williams: Can you supply a breakdown understand the iconic importance of that in Wales. of where those volunteers are coming from? Tessa Jowell: Yes, we can certainly do that. The last Q103 Mark Williams: To carry on the theme of breakdown I saw, which was about nine months ago, young people and schools, the memorandum from showed predominantly from London and the South the Sports Council for Wales states: “Never before East, but we will certainly be very happy to give you will children in the United Kingdom have the figures for Wales. I think that is another area experienced an equivalent ‘advertising campaign’ where, I think, working through the Assembly with for sport.” That is great and I think we would all voluntary organisations in Wales, we can begin to concur with that. How do you see the enduring galvanise interest. We are already working on plans legacy of sport in our schools? for a nationwide volunteering programme. We are Tessa Jowell: The big ambition was stated, when we also looking specifically at the Personal Best won the bid in Singapore, as transforming the lives programme, which is just becoming a national of a generation of young people through sport. I see programme, which is engaging people who are, that process as having begun back in 2002 when we perhaps, the most disadvantaged and taking them were just considering a bid and we were very through a period of voluntary sector activity (and concerned about the low level of sporting Alun Michael will be very familiar with this) with a participation by children in schools at that point. view to their acquiring the level of skills that means From memory, I think, 23% of children in schools that they could get jobs, and so forth. So far, the were playing two hours of sport or more. That figure programme started in London and I think there are is now more than 90%. So over what will be a decade three pilot regions and we are looking to extending children will be taken from two hours a week—a that to Wales. I hope the Committee will support minority playing for two hours a week of sport—to that.4 a position where all children will have the opportunity to play at least five hours of sport including competitive sport. The significant Q106 Alun Michael: There has obviously been a challenge is how do we prevent the drop oV at 16? considerable increase in the profile of the Paralympic There is a cliV face in young people’s participation Games, and general public interest in a way that once they get to 16 and leave full-time education. So there was not a few years ago. Are you confident that within the commitment is provision for at least three hours for young people in further and higher 4 Ev 40 Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
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27 January 2009 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP and Mr Alan Bucknall the profile that is given to the Paralympics and the important to understand that the tourism benefits marketing of the Paralympics will be on a par with derive not just from visitors to the Games but from that of the Olympics? visitors that decide to come back after the Games for Tessa Jowell: Yes, absolutely. One of the great a second or subsequent visit. In Wales there is the achievements of the Beijing Games was to create a real opportunity to take the hosting of the Ryder sense of equivalence between the Olympics and the Cup in 2010 as a platform from which to encourage Paralympics. When we have been looking at the people to come back in 2011 and 2012, and I hope lessons learned from Beijing, one of the very strong very much that the tourism authorities in Wales will views is that part of the most powerful lasting legacy do that. will be the changed attitudes to disability in China, and increased physical access within Beijing. We Q110 Mr David Jones: How is the Ryder Cup being have just the same scale of ambition in relation to the marketed? Of course, the Welsh Assembly Paralympics. You will know, obviously, about the Government has competence in respect of tourism amazing achievement of Welsh Paralympians and coming from Europe; from the rest of the world I the power of leadership and influence that that think it is within the ambit of VisitBritain. Do you creates for young disabled people in Wales. know how the Ryder Cup is being marketed by VisitBritain, at the moment? Q107 Alun Michael: Indeed, because even though Tessa Jowell: I do not know how the Ryder Cup is the number of medals went down, the number of being marketed. Again, that would be a question I individuals winning medals went up this time. suggest you direct to the Secretary of State with Tessa Jowell: Dave Roberts has now won as many Ministerial responsibility for VisitBritain, and that is gold medals as Tanni Grey-Thompson. the Secretary of State for Culture, and the Sports Minister. I am sure they would be very happy to Q108 Alun Michael: That is right. How can we lift provide you with information on that. I can say that, that particular aspect, where Wales has probably more generally, the fact of hosting the Olympics in out-performed, generally across the UK? Are there London in 2012 is bringing other global sporting lessons to be learnt from the activities of disabled events to the UK before and after. For instance, the Paralympians within Wales for the rest of the UK? Weymouth sailing venue will host the World Sailing Tessa Jowell: The first way that we achieve and build Championships in 2010, and again, Chairman, I on that change is in your first point, which is that we would be very happy to provide you with a list of the ensure equivalence. There is not anything we do, as World Championships in a whole variety of Olympic an Olympic leadership group, which does not and other sports that are due to be held in the UK in 5 include both potential Olympians and the run up to 2012 and immediately after. Paralympians; training funds are available to Paralympians as well as to Olympians. The young Q111 Mr David Jones: How far advanced is the people’s programmes are also as available to young tourism marketing strategy, at the moment? disabled athletes as they are to able-bodied athletes. Tessa Jowell: There is an Olympic marketing Obviously, accessibility has been designed in to all strategy that VisitBritain are in the process of the venues in the Olympic Park. Again, I hope that implementing. It focuses on a number of things, this is a song that can become a chorus of voices right including quality of accommodation and the round the country, so that every time we talk about reasonable price of accommodation. Obviously, in Olympics we also talk about Paralympics, and every the Olympic Transport Plan and the development of time we talk about Olympic success we talk about the integrated operation plan, one of the things that Paralympic success, and the story of Welsh success is we are looking at is ease of access to London, both so remarkable here that you have got lots to trumpet. by aVordability and ease of access, from all parts of the UK, including Wales. Q109 Mr David Jones: Could I turn to tourism, please, and the potential benefit to Wales and the rest Q112 Mr David Jones: Which overseas markets, in of the United Kingdom in terms of tourism that we particular, will be targeted? hope to derive from the Olympics. How is it Tessa Jowell: I think, again, if I can just say, proposed that the 2012 Games will be marketed so Chairman, these are questions that you need to as to encourage overseas visitors to Wales? direct to the relevant tourism Minister because I am Tessa Jowell: There is an estimated UK-wide not the Minister who has responsibility for tourism benefit in the region of about £2 billion. VisitBritain. We are, through the promotion within Between now and 2012, obviously, you have the the Nations and Regions Group, working to ensure Ryder Cup. Yesterday, when I was thinking about that the tourism benefits are realised through the this session with you today, looking at the previous English regions and through the Regional impact of the Ryder Cup, the impact of the Ryder Development Agencies. Cup when it was hosted in Ireland was in excess of some £88 million. You will obviously want to Q113 Hywel Williams: Can I ask you about capitalise not just on the 2012 benefits but, before disability access and tourism in relation to the that, the tourism benefits that flow from hosting the Paralympic Games? Clearly, awareness of Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. I say that because I accessibility issues could be improved now, running think Australia is generally regarded as the country that did best from its tourism legacy, and it is 5 Ev 41 Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 25
27 January 2009 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP and Mr Alan Bucknall up to the Paralympics. What are you actually doing of what the economic benefits of hosting the to ensure that accessibility is a priority for the Olympics would be. It showed very clearly that the tourism sector in Wales, and throughout the UK, in disproportionate benefit would fall to London, with the run up to the Paralympic Games? substantial displacement from other parts of the Tessa Jowell: Again, this is an opportunity that the UK. We want to counter that inevitability. That is Olympics create for venues to upgrade their what happens if you do nothing. So we are accessibility. The responsibility for identifying the countering that inevitability through the means that venues and driving that through would, obviously, I have set out. I do not know of another Olympics sit with the Welsh Assembly and, where relevant, that has been more proactive in spreading the UK Ministers. Certainly, accessibility will have been economic benefits, particularly important at a time taken into account in the training camp facilities, of downturn like this, and spreading those benefits particularly those that have been designated for to businesses that are under pressure all over the Paralympic use. This is a very good example of country. where the Olympic Executive cannot take sole responsibility for seeing through all this change and Q117 Alun Michael: I am entirely happy that it is the the realisation of all these opportunities. The outcome that counts rather than setting targets that Olympics creates a unique opportunity; it is do not mean anything, and the figures that you have therefore for the various agencies and bodies to just given us are quite significant. However, the realise that. I understand, also, just in relation to Committee found, in asking the Welsh Assembly training camps, that the Welsh Assembly is using the Government what sort of benefit was coming to Pre-Games training camps agenda to oVer best Welsh businesses, that it was diYcult to provide that practice advice on accommodation providers and, information because companies are not allowed to also, to raise the profile of accessible transport. So publicise their involvement. That may be entirely that has had an impact. They are using the Olympics reasonable. The point is, therefore, we need to get at as a basis for, if you like, campaigning and cajoling, the information in a diVerent way. The figures that and you may wish to take that further with them. you have just given are helpful. Will it be possible to provide equivalent figures for the non-London; to Q114 Alun Michael: Returning to the question of Wales—and I am sure similar questions would arise business engagement, I think you did give the figure in relation to the regions? earlier about the numbers registering on the Tessa Jowell: I think that we have to handle this CompeteFor website. carefully. I can give you an illustration of the Tessa Jowell: One thousand businesses. companies that have won contracts. The important figures for the Welsh Assembly are that there are Q115 Alun Michael: Do you have a target for the 1,000 Welsh businesses registered, and four have extent to which contracts should be awarded to won contracts. businesses outside London? Tessa Jowell: No. There is a carrot and stick impact Q118 Alun Michael: As we go down the line, there here. The carrot is that we can open the door to the are those who want to say it is all gloom and doom possibility, we can provide the brokerage network and the impact of the Olympics is not good for and we have had business summits around the Wales. I think it is very important that we should be country bringing businesses together—Chambers of able to— Commerce, Regional Development Agencies, Tessa Jowell: Focus on the 1,000. Economic Development bodies and so forth— telling them about what is possible, getting the Q119 Alun Michael: Those that are registered? businesses registered and then the information goes Tessa Jowell: Those are registered, yes. out to them. So beyond that what the ODA are after is the best contract that represents best value for Q120 Alun Michael: I was asking about those that money. What we cannot do is to skew the have actually become part of the supply chain. procurement rules either to create a particular Tessa Jowell: Let me tell you about the contracts benefit to one part of the country, one group of that have been awarded to businesses in Wales workers or anything else, and you obviously through the ODA supply chain, because I think this understand that. is the information you are after: Fairfield Mabey (structural steelwork—steelwork for structures, Q116 Alun Michael: I understand that but, on the bridges and highways) for Balfour Beatty; other hand, there is a tendency to feel it will not Rowecord Holdings (structural steelwork— happen unless— steelwork for the Aquatic Centre), again, for Balfour Tessa Jowell: Which is why we have been so Beatty, who are building the Aquatic Centre; Rhino purposeful. You really should not underestimate Doors (for shafts that provide access to how proactive we have been. Let me just, if I may, underground power lines) for Murphys, who Chairman, identify two areas of this proactivity. One underground the— is in spreading the business benefits, and 98% of the businesses that have won contracts are UK firms and Q121 Alun Michael: If I may say so, I think, in going 45% are outside London. Why is this so important? through this list you are demonstrating that there is It is important because before we won the Games I information available which would be helpful in commissioned a report to provide us with a baseline answering this question. Perhaps a follow-up note Processed: 18-05-2009 19:15:49 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG2
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27 January 2009 Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP and Mr Alan Bucknall would be helpful.6 You are absolutely on the Tessa Jowell: It is our hope that most or all of the territory that I was asking about. I am grateful for £675 million will be returned. I only qualify that that. slightly because we will want to view that in the light Tessa Jowell: I would be very happy, in the light of of the recovery of land values at the time we get to this session today, to provide you, in confidence 2012. where necessary, with a continued update— Q126 Hywel Williams: Then it will be up to the Lottery to decide how that £675 million (or less) will be distributed? Q122 Alun Michael: That would be helpful. Tessa Jowell: Yes, but the call from each of the Tessa Jowell:—on the information about Welsh Lottery distributors is an average of 10–11% and, businesses. I would just love to see that figure from memory, between 2009 and 2012. So I would substantially increase. We can eVect some impact on expect that money to be returned to the Lottery that, but a lot of it needs to come, as I say, as well distributors in the same proportion in which it was from the concerted activity through business diverted. support services and the other agencies within Hywel Williams: Thank you. Wales. Q127 Chairman: Could I end this session with one final question, and it is about SMEs? Are you satisfied or content with the level of support given to Q123 Hywel Williams: Something has occurred to SMEs to ensure that they can compete for contracts me, slightly out of sequence, Minister. You did refer being generated by the Olympics? earlier on in your evidence to the £675 million which Tessa Jowell: It is a very important question because will be realised when the assets are disposed of. we know that many SMEs are suVering very badly Tessa Jowell: Up to. at the moment, through loss of borrowing facilities and so forth. About 70% of the businesses that are registered on the CompeteFor network are small and medium-sized enterprises, and that is why all the Q124 Hywel Williams: What will actually happen to remarks I was making earlier about the potential that money? Will it be returned to the Lottery or will benefits from this investment to stabilisation of parts it be distributed in some other way? of the economy across the country is so relevant to Tessa Jowell: There are two claimants, if you like, on Wales. I am not able to give you a breakdown of how the proceeds of Olympic land sales: one is the LDA, many of the 1,000 businesses registered are small and who will be reimbursed for the purchase cost and the medium-sized enterprises, but I think that you can remediation costs, and the second is the Lottery.This draw from the overall average of 70% that it will be is an agreement, which still stands, which I reached about 700. with the previous Mayor of London. The money will be repaid over time. Obviously, we will have to take Q128 Chairman: Minister, thank you very much for account of the state of the market 2012 and beyond your evidence this morning. It has been extremely to ensure that the land is sold at a time that strikes a helpful for our inquiry. We look forward to receiving proper balance between the development of the additional information you have promised us. sustainable communities within the Olympic Park Could I, finally, place on the record my thanks to my and the best price for the land. We have a formula colleagues who have been standing up for my and I am very happy to give the Committee a copy constituency in regard to the mountain bike centre in V of the memorandum of understanding which sets Cardi in the Afan Valley, which is quite out the order in which the £675 million from the outstanding. Without wishing to make a mountain Lottery will be returned.7 out of a molehill we look forward to the success of that event in Essex, and the success of the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. Tessa Jowell: I think that is a very generous Q125 Hywel Williams: Can you give us a headline conclusion, Chairman. I greatly value having this figure for the amount that is going to be returned to session with you, and I hope that the number of the Lottery itself for distribution to good causes? areas in which we think are open to further collaboration are ones that we can explore, and I 6 Ev 39 look forward to appearing before you again. 7 Ev 41 Chairman: Thank you very much. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [SO] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 27 Written evidence
Memorandum submitted by the British Olympic Association 1. The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee (NOC) for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, and at that time consisted of seven National Governing Body members. The BOA now includes as its members the thirty-three National Governing Bodies of each Olympic sport. 2. Great Britain is one of only five countries which have never failed to be represented at the summer Olympic Games since 1896. Great Britain, France and Switzerland are the only countries to have also been present at all Olympic Winter Games. Great Britain has also played host to two Olympic Games in London: in 1908 and 1948. In 2005, London was selected as the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. 3. The BOA is one of 205 NOCs currently recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC’s role is to lead the promotion of Olympism in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The Charter details the philosophy, aims and traditions of the Olympic Movement. The IOC co-opts and elects its members from among such persons as it considers qualified. Members of the IOC are its representatives in their respective countries and not delegates of their countries within the IOC. 4. The BOA’s role is to select, prepare, manage and lead Britain’s finest athletes at the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the BOA is responsible for the development and protection of the Olympic Movement, whose vision is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport. In addition, the BOA delivers extensive elite level support services to Britain’s Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies throughout each Olympic cycle to assist them in their preparations for, and performances at the Games. 5. The BOA does not receive any direct government or public finance and is completely dependent upon commercial sponsorship and fundraising income. The impartiality this grants the BOA means that it can speak freely as a strong independent voice for British Olympic sport. Sport is built on the work of volunteers and those coaches, clubs, governing bodies and international federations who protect and promote their interests. The BOA believes that the autonomy of sport should be protected. 6. As a result of London hosting the Games in 2012, the BOA’s commercial rights have been transferred to the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), to ensure LOCOG can generate the revenue required to stage the Games. As such, the BOA cannot raise funds through traditional sponsorship channels as it had done previously and must now increase its fundraising activity in order to make up the considerable short fall which is more apparent given the increase in the BOA’s responsibility and status as a host nation NOC. This submission provides evidence relating to one of the Inquiry’s requested areas of interest:
The Potential Benefits for Developing Sporting Excellence in Wales 7. In 1997, the BOA began to devise and develop the Bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games under the premise that staging the greatest sporting event in the world would provide economic, cultural, social and above all sporting, benefits throughout the UK. 8. The evidence collated from previous Olympic Games suggests that the performance of the home team improves by virtue of them being the host nation and consequently can act as a catalyst for improving a nation’s future sporting success overall. Six days after London was awarded the 2012 Olympic Games during a conference called by the BOA, British Sport agreed to set an aspirational target for Team GB to finish in fourth place in the 2012 medal table. Immediately after winning the Bid, British Sport had recognised that it had to maximise this unique opportunity to develop excellence and improve performance. 9. Proceeding a significant lobbying campaign led by the BOA and UK Sport, in March 2006 the then Chancellor Gordon Brown announced a funding package for the Olympic and Paralympic Sports of £600 million1 in the lead-up to 2012. This extra investment has been invaluable to the development of the Olympic sports and the continuous improvements in the success of Team GB. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games proved a substantial indication of the potential for sporting excellence within British Sport. Team GB produced the best performance for one hundred years winning 47 medals; 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze. Indeed, 5 of those medals (3 gold, 2 silver) were won by Welsh athletes. The outstanding performance of Team GB at the 2008 Olympic Games was testament to the dedication of those talented athletes and coaches, but also highlighted the aVect an increase in investment can have on their potential to succeed. 10. The BOA recognises the importance of developing sporting excellence within the four Home Nations which will ultimately strengthen the performances of Team GB as they come together collectively. The overarching developments within British Sport which have occurred as a direct result of hosting the 2012 Olympic Games will have an impact on the future success of the Home Nations. The sporting infrastructure within Wales, particularly those governing bodies and athletes operating there, will benefit from these
1 £300 million existing National Lottery contribution, plus an additional £200 million from the Exchequer. Remaining £100 million to be raised from the private sector. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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developments. The 2012 Training Camp Guide identified 31 facilities accommodating 27 sports/disciplines across Wales, the advantages in highlighting these facilities and ensuring their maintenance in the lead-up to 2012 is also important for the future development of sporting excellence in Wales. 11. Team GB’s performances this summer captivated the nation; their strength, passion and determination made the nation proud and provided a significant “feel-good factor” throughout the UK. In CardiV a crowd of over 2000 people welcomed the 14 Welsh Team GB athletes back from Beijing and the BOA hopes that the interest and excitement amongst the British public will develop in the lead-up to 2012. Hosting the group matches of the 2012 football competition at the Millennium stadium in CardiV will be a great opportunity to watch live 2012 action and will serve to bring the unique “Olympic atmosphere” to Wales. Inspiring young people to participate and compete in sport is crucial for the long-term development of sporting excellence. Today’s young participants are the Olympians of the future and the profile and success granted to Team GB in 2012 will serve to inspire those young people to go on and become Wales’ and Team GB’s future success stories. 12. As equally important as harnessing the inspirational value of 2012 will be the provision of adequate opportunities for people to participate in sport. Responsibility for sports policy is devolved to the Home Country administrations and as such the Welsh Assembly is charged with developing a strategy which will ensure a sporting legacy for Wales post-2012. Improving the opportunities for people to participate in sport is an important facet of hosting the Olympic Games. Maximising the inspirational value of 2012 is essential if the long-term benefits for developing sporting excellence are to be realised. January 2009
Memorandum submitted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Summary The Government welcomes the opportunity of this inquiry to set out how Wales stands to benefit from hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Firstly, I would like to assure the Committee our legacy ambitions for 2012 stretch far beyond the Olympic Park and London. Our main priority for the Games is to create a lasting legacy which spreads to all communities in the UK. This objective is encapsulated throughout “Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games”—our legacy action plan. This details priorities across Government for creating long-term benefits from the Games, and builds on Our Promise for 2012, which made five promises: 1. To make the UK a world-leading sporting nation. 2. To transform the heart of East London. 3. To inspire a generation of young people. 4. To make the Olympic Park a blueprint for sustainable living. 5. To demonstrate the UK is a creative, inclusive and welcoming place to live in, visit and do business. Four of the five promises have a UK-wide ambition. Through the eVective delivery of the Action Plan, we aim to maximise the social, economic and cultural opportunities across the UK. However, we understand that realising those benefits is by no means a fait accompli and the experience of previous hosts tells us that we need to work hard to make sure we take full advantage of the opportunities that hosting the Games aVords. Recent British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) research2 published on 9 December 2008 indicated that 65% of people from Wales are extremely, very or fairly interested in the Games. This is a great basis on which to build and take forward opportunities for people in Wales to get involved.
Working Relationships and Delivery Structures The Government also recognises how important it is for the Devolved Administrations and English regions to identify what is important to them. This work is being taken forward by the Nations and Regions Group (NRG). The NRG was established by the London 2012 bid team to represent the interests of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the English Regions and played a central role in the successful bid. As we now work to deliver a successful London 2012 Games and deliver a sustainable legacy as a result of these Games, the challenges and the opportunities for the Nations and Regions Group have evolved. As such we continue to engage and work closely with colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government through the NRG on all aspects of 2012 including on those areas of devolved responsibility.
2 Based on a survey of 2,000 people across the UK. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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The Wales Steering Group for the 2012 Games leads the work and vision of the region in delivering benefits in sport, culture, volunteering, business and tourism and includes representation from the Wales Assembly Government with sporting, cultural, business and voluntary sectors also represented. These structures provide the groundwork for delivering a fantastic legacy in Wales.
Millennium Stadium—Olympic Venue In developing our plans, the Government was keen that Olympic competition should be appropriately distributed across the whole of the UK wherever possible. Therefore we were delighted to confirm that the Millennium Stadium will be one of the venues for the Olympic football competition. This will mean Wales will experience first hand the excitement of Olympic competition. However, whilst the International Olympic Committee (IOC) welcome the geographical spread of the football competition they also demand a compact Games minimising the distance and travelling times between venues and the athletes village. It is the IOC’s experience that the clustering of the venues in and around the host city helps to make a more successful Games.
Sport The Olympics oVer a unique opportunity for sport in the UK. We are already seeing great progress in terms of physical activity for example with the free swimming initiative across England. I am delighted to say this very much aligns with the Welsh Assembly Governments policy of sport and physical activity which is centred on “Climb Higher”, a 20 year strategy to create a healthier Wales. One central element of this strategy is free swimming. As you may be aware, Wales developed Europe’s first free swimming programme. The inspirational eVect of the Olympics and the specific initiatives we already have in place for sport in the UK should help in achieving our goals. We were delighted to see the success of Welsh athletes in Beijing in what were surely the best Olympic Games for Wales in many years. I would like to congratulate Nicole Cooke who led the way in Beijing and all the other Welsh Olympic and Paralympic medallists who followed. These fantastic achievements were an inspiration. The athletes are not only true ambassadors for sport but also role models for aspiring young athletes in Wales and indeed the rest of the UK. I am also pleased that CardiV, Swansea and Newport were successful in their bid to host the UK School Games in 2009. The Games, launched in Glasgow in 2006 and being held annually until 2011, are designed to replicate the feel of a multi sport event such as the Olympics and Paralympics for our most talented school- age athletes. This event will benefit Wales in terms of showcasing its excellent sporting facilities as well as hosting this prestigious event.
Training Camps Visiting teams for the 2012 Games will want to ensure their athletes are acclimatised and well prepared for the Games. To this end, LOCOG produced its Pre Games Training Camps Guide, listing UK facilities available to teams and athletes from countries competing in 2012. Wales has 31 Olympic facilities listed in the Pre Games Training Camps Guide and 16 facilities available for the Paralympics. It is great news that Australia, one of the great sports-obsessed nations of the world, has chosen Wales to base more than 300 of its Paralympic athletes in the build up to the 2012 Games. This, along with the success of Welsh athletes in Beijing, surely underlines the quality and accessibility of the training facilities in Wales. This development could bring wider economic benefits to Wales as well as opportunities to strengthen existing economic, sporting and cultural ties with Australia.
Education This summer we have also been capturing the enthusiasm of young people and have made sure they are at the heart of our plans for the Cultural Olympiad and the “Get Set” programme (previously known as the London 2012 domestic education programme). The Get Set website http://getset.london2012.com/home provides a basis for learning about the Olympic and Paralympic values such as courage, friendship, and respect. Education providers will be able to use resources to inspire learning in 3–19 year olds, including inspirational films, interactive games, fact sheets, news articles and more. 77 schools, colleges and other education providers in Wales have registered to be part of “Get Set”, which was launched during Paralympic Handover in September 2008—involving 56,502 Welsh students. The festivities across Wales gave young people their first taste of the creativity and inspiration that will be a key feature of the Get Set programme. We promised to use the Games to inspire a generation of young people— Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Ev 30 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
this activity demonstrates just how powerful 2012 can be. We would like to harness this interest and energy wherever possible to direct young people’s enthusiasm into projects that give them the chance to learn new skills, broaden their horizons and be more active and creative in their communities.
Tourism The UK will become the centre of the world’s attention during Games time in 2012. The Government is determined that we use the opportunities that hosting the Games aVords to raise the profile of the UK as a tourist destination. Previous Games’ had significantly positive eVects on visitor numbers and tourist spending. We hope to replicate those positive experiences in the lead up to, during, and after 2012 for the whole of the UK. Spectators for the Games in 2012 will naturally want to see what else the UK has to oVer—we understand the Welsh Assembly Government intend to use the integrated opportunity and leverage provided by the 2010 Ryder Cup in Newport and the London 2012 Games to raise Wales’ profile as a visitor destination. Additionally, in the same way as the London 2012 provides inspiration and fuels improvement in grassroots sport, the Ryder Cup will leave a lasting legacy beyond established participants and prestigious clubs.
Business Opportunities The Games will generate opportunities for businesses across the UK in many sectors. London 2012 expects to procure around £6 billion worth of contracts, creating around 75,000 supply chain opportunities. We have created the London 2012 Business Network to open up these opportunities to businesses across the country, and to provide them with information and support. CompeteFor, the electronic brokerage service for buyers and suppliers, is a key component of this—it is estimated that contractors will procure approximately 20% of their supply chains through CompeteFor. Businesses will be signposted to support services at every stage of the process, and those seeking support will get fitter as a result. These businesses will not only be more able to win contracts in the London 2012 supply chain, but better placed to win the wider £150 billion annual public sector procurement. Over 800 businesses have already won over £3.5 billion worth of contracts supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). Over 68% are SMEs and 98% are UK-based, and just under half are based outside of London. The ODA’s business engagement programme includes briefing sessions on supply chain opportunities and the London 2012 Business Network. Last year the ODA held a programme of business conferences in each region and Devolved Administrations in partnership with Constructing Excellence. The oYcial launch in Wales of the London 2012 Business Network was held in May 2008 in CardiV, at the Constructing Excellence Conference, which was addressed by the First Minister, Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM. More recently, in October 2008 the ODA hosted a tour and briefing session on the Olympic Park, for the Welsh Assembly Government and group of Welsh businesses. London 2012 procurement isn’t the only way businesses can get involved. There are wider opportunities for businesses in tourism and media industries as well as, increased inward investment and export potential and opportunity to drive up skills and capabilities.
Volunteering The Games will require up to 70,000 volunteers to help stage the Games—the largest peace time volunteer force—but there will also be opportunities beyond the Games and across the Nations. Volunteering for the Games oVers an excellent opportunity to learn new skills and prepare those who are out of work for a return to employment. It is also a hugely rewarding experience and we hope the enthusiasm to volunteer for London 2012—with 150,000 people having already registered their interest—will translate into a long term increase in volunteering in communities across the UK. We understand that the Welsh Assembly Government aim to use the 2012 volunteer programme to help boost the recruitment, training and active contribution of volunteers across Wales, especially in communities of greatest need.
Cultural Olympiad The Cultural Olympiad aims to provide opportunities for people from across the UK to get involved in cultural activities that celebrate the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This four year cultural festival, which launched at the end of September 2008 with around 650 cultural events across the UK, is one way that people can engage with the Games outside Games time and outside of London. The Cultural Olympiad will touch communities up and down the country and will engage people in the values of the Olympic movement and the spirit of Olympism. The cultural festival will see various cultural events—from festivals and fairs, to exhibitions and carnivals across the UK and will allow us to showcase the best of the UK’s creative and artistic talent. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Around five events took place in Wales in August to celebrate the Olympic Handover, where London and the UK became the oYcial hosts of the Olympic Games. Approximately five further events took place in celebration of the launch of the Cultural Olympiad, including lighting up of the Wales Millennium Centre in London 2012 colours. This included “Sing the Nation” in Swansea and CardiV—part of a festival to unite the UK in song. I am delighted that “Criw Cymru”, the arts project that connects disadvantaged young people in CardiV, Brecon and Caernarfon in a celebration of contemporary street arts, has been awarded the Inspire Mark. The mark recognises that a project has been “inspired by London 2012” and reflects the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. There are also a number of Live Sites across the UK, (big public screens) which in the Summer showed events at the Beijing Games. These will act as stages for 2012 cultural and sporting activity for the local community into the future. There are eight permanent screens in various UK locations, including CardiV and Swansea.
Intangible Benefits The tangible benefits of hosting the Games, set out in summary above, were a key reason behind the Government’s decision to support London’s bid. But the intangible benefits of hosting the Games in 2012, the feel good factor that staging the Games will aVord, is something that should not be forgotten when assessing the impacts of the Games. London’s bid was founded on valuing and embracing diversity and a successful Games in 2012 will help strengthen our sense of national identity—in its various forms—and provide a boost to a sense of pride in our collective achievements. January 2009
Memorandum submitted by Councillor Alana Davies Why is there to be a mountain-biking facility built in the South East of England when we have the potential for excellent sites in Wales—eg The Afan Argoed trail and many others—we certainly have more mountains! December 2008
Memorandum submitted by Federation of Disability Sport Wales Contact: Jon Morgan Position: Executive Director, Federation of Disability Sport Wales
1. Introduction 1.1 The Federation of Disability Sport Wales Ltd (FDSW) is a strategic development organisation, which aims to promote and develop opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport. 1.2 It is the Home Country member of the British Paralympic Association, the organisation responsible for “taking the Paralymics GB team to the Games”.
2. Executive Summary 2.1 FDSW believes that the following benefits could accrue for disability and paralympic sport/physical activity as a result of the hosting of the London Paralymic Games in 2012: 2.1.1 home advantage for athletes; 2.1.2 home advantage for the preparation of athletes for some sports that chose to remain in the UK in the lead up to the Games; 2.1.3 the Games will provide a unique impetus for profiling disability and paralympic sport, as well as elite disabled athletes, who can go on to act as role models; 2.1.4 the Games can act as a catalyst for further galvanising the community model for disability sport (already being delivered) in Wales—community legacy programmes; 2.1.5 provide an opportunity for Wales to act as a “Host Nation” for incoming countries and to develop programmes of “added value” between nations; 2.1.6 provide opportunities to raise the profile of coaching and volunteering within disability sport in Wales; Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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2.1.7 to use the timeline of the Games to further develop disability sport participant and performer pathways across the UK; 2.1.8 provide a catalyst for educational opportunities with schools and colleges, the voluntary and public sectors; 2.1.9 engage the general public to disability through the medium of sport and to further engage the social model of disability throughout Wales and the UK; 2.1.10 to use the experience of hosting overseas paralympic teams (preparation and holding camps) to up- skill venues, accommodation bases, transportation providers in matters relating to disability and enhanced accessibilities; and 2.1.11 the Games will heighten awareness of the value and excellence of disability sport which could lead to increased business/commercial sector investment/relationship (corporate social responsibility) with disability sport and its programmes. 2.2 FDSW believes that the following risks maybe associated with the hosting of the Paralympics in London in 2012: 2.2.1 the risk of investment into disability sport in Wales if lottery support is re-diverted to support the hosting of the Games; 2.2.2 the need to ensure that the Paralympic Games are marketed eVectively and consistently with the Olympic Games to ensure capacity stadiums and “home support” for Paralympics GB; 2.2.3 that athletes with intellectual disability will not be re-integrated into the Paralympic Games by 2012 2.2.4 that opportunities will be lost if particularly (disabled) children and people cannot access the Games. Schemes should be developed to ensure opportunities are maximised around key spectator groups—changing perceptions and expectations in relation to sport and supporting the legacy agenda; and 2.2.5 if the Games are not fully “inclusive” in their planning and delivery.
3. FDSW: Areas of Delivery and Expertise 3.1 Founded in 1985, The Federation comprises of National Disability Sports Organisations (NDSOs) and a number of sports specific organisations. The 22 Local Authorities in Wales are also represented on its Board of Directors, as are the Sports Council for Wales. 3.2 The Welsh Assembly Government recognises FDSW as the lead organisation for disability sport in Wales. 3.3 FDSW is committed to the development of sport/physical activity and focuses the majority of its eVorts through four national programmes: (a) A Disability Sport Community programme, which is a shared initiative between FDSW, the Sports Council for Wales and the Local Authorities. The programme is aimed at developing quality community based sporting and physical activity opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Wales. (b) 9A Pan-Disability Academy programme aimed at identifying and supporting emerging “talented” athletes. (c) A National Performance programme that supports elite disabled performers. (d) An Education and Training programme which delivers a range of generic and sport specific training courses to the public and voluntary sectors including national sports agencies and governing bodies of sport. 3.4 FDSW ensures that its programmes are fully inclusive, oVering individuals the opportunity to achieve a full and active role within their sporting communities, whilst at the same time providing a structured “pathway”through which talented performers can achieve at higher levels of competition.
3.5 Planning for Success 3.5.1 FDSW produces a “rolling”strategic plan which: (a) reviews/reaYrms the Organisations aims and objectives; (b) provides a summary of the previous years performance against agreed targets; (c) sets out clear plans for both the Disability Sport Community programme, Academy programme, the National Performance programme and Education and Training programme for the year ahead; and (d) identifies costs associated with delivering the national programmes and the Organisations core governance activities. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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4. Measuring Success
4.1 Disability Sport in Wales is funded through the Sports Council for Wales. As a consequence of increasing investment in disability sport, FDSW reports on every aspect of its core business through a series of Key performance indicators:
Community — 14,271 opportunities for participating in disability sport were created in 2004. This rose to approximately 320,000 in 2007–08.
Performance Indicators Position 2004 Position 2006 Returns March 2007–08 Number of club development schemes 217 348 512 Number of coaches 166 278 665 Number of volunteers 164 203 1,210 Number of new local competitions 48 23 107 (only recording strategic competitions) Number of participant opportunities in 14,271 78,680 319,636 programme Number of active club members 1,038 3,675 5,821
4.2 Academy
4.3 FDSW is the first UK disability organisation to introduce a National Academy programme. Fourty-nine athletes are currently selected into the Academy based on their potential. Athletes receive additional services and coaching within the Academy and are assessed annually against personal goals. 4.4 Athletes within the Academy are either targeting GB places in London 2012 (tier 1) or Paralympic Games 2016 (tier 2). 4.5 Nine of the 15 new paralympians (31 in total) competing at the Beijing Paralympic Games were supported through the Academy. 1. KPI: Number of performers into GB Squads 2. KPI: Number of improved personal bests over 12 months
4.3 Performance
4.4 By population, Wales should contribute approximately 5% of Paralympics GB. 4.5 At Paralympic and Commonwealth Games level Welsh athletes continue to punch well above their weight. In Sydney in 2000 Welsh athletes made up 6% of Paralympics GB and acquired 20% of the GB medals won. In Athens 2004, Welsh athletes won 30% of the total Paralympics GB medal haul. 4.6 In Beijing 2008, Wales contributed 31 athletes to Paralympics GB—or 15%. Those athletes contributed 10 gold medals (24% of the total gold medal haul) and a further three silver medals and one bronze. Wales would have finished 15th (by gold medal haul) in the International Paralympic Medal Table if competing as an independent nation (9th if it were in a European medal table). 4.7 FDSW is well established as an organisation that regularly manages the requirements of athletes at all levels of the performance spectrum. Preparation and holding camps for major competitions involving Welsh E.A.D.s are managed as and when required (eg M2006 Commonwealth Games, M2004 Commonwealth Games). Due to the domestic and European competition requirements, FDSW is required to manage the movement and accommodation, with support services, for Welsh EAD athletes on an annual basis. 1. KPI: Wales will maintain their current Paralympic Medal Haul at future Games. 2. KPI: Wales will target 15 new athletes in the Paralympics GB Team: Beijing. 3. Wales will seek to continue to provide more than 5% (of the UK population) into the Paralympic GB Team for Beijing. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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4.8 Education and Training FDSW intend to deliver 2,645 education and training opportunities across Wales in 2008–09.
5. Funding 5.1 FDSW were allocated £550k per annum from 2002–07 towards the community programme, working with local authorities in taking forward sporting and physical activity opportunities. This has increased to £560k in 2007–08. 5.2 In addition a further £430k has been provided from 2007–08 to support governance and athletes operating at an academy / elite/Paralympic level. 5.3 FDSW raises additional funds to meet the deficit against programme costs and to continually improve its services.
6. Current Position 6.1 The focus of eVort continues to be increasing opportunities for participation in line with the aims of Welsh Assembly Government’s “Climbing Higher” strategy from grass roots and community level to elite. FDSW is working closely with the Sports Council for Wales to establish an infrastructure which will continue to identify and develop talented world class athletes. 6.2 FDSW is also working with identified Welsh Governing Bodies (who could have a paralympic dimension) to develop the inclusive nature of their programmes, moving toward full integration post 2012. 6.3 FDSW hope to see 35 Welsh athletes gaining Team Paralympic GB selection for the Paralympic games in London 2008. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 35 ciently and with optimum access to Y ciating programmes/ r and d / role models to Y training venues and ancillary facilitiesaccommodation eg transport systems, accessible and commit ciating workforce underpin Home country strategies toward workforce development Y erformance P Benefits Challenges momentum to existing corporate plan Paralympics GBcountries—Australia PC already confirmedincoming NPCs on related activitiessharing eg of sports innovation development / models, research and development / education tools “lead-in” and during “Games time” toHeighten increase awareness coaching of workforce paralympic /“lead-in” disability and sport during during “Games four time” year toHeighten increase awareness volunteer of workforce paralympic / disability sport underpin during Home four country b) year strategies toward nsuring workforce Agency NPCs development leads can in be creating hosted underpin volunteer e Home programmes/ country r strategies and toward d workforce / Agency development role leads models in to creating o support athletes and systems “lead-in” and during “Games time” to increase o aralympic c)d) Potential to Profile Welsh athletes in Align Welsh/UK Games media to enhancee) community activity by providing added “Home” Games tof) act as incentive for emerging athletes to break-in Opportunity to for Wales to host incoming National Develop Paralympic Games Committee opportunities linked Further to develop communityg) Academy a) programme structure in Strategic Wales targeting and of additional NPC Maintain resources “regions” high-profile Opportunity to post-Beijing to build on host nation status byh) establishing MOUs with Heighten awareness of paralympic / g) disability sport Maximise during opportunities four for year Wales Agency leads in creating coaching programmes/ r and d / role models to a)b) Home Advantage for Paralympics GB athletes Home in Advantage London for British athletes to prepare and train in UK venues UK NGB sports to make early decisions on pre-games training venues Prepare athletes for Home experience :P port S Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Ev 36 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence gh agencies Benefits Challenges health professionals etc on theDisability value sport and standards of Paralympic /emphasising social model of disability through paralympic sport (conceptual at this stage) :INsport programme Games opportunities and disability sport the respective “Home Country” existing strategydisability sport across population as a whole existing strategies—not compete with new programmes devolved Government, public education bodies and National sports opportunities for educational and culturaland tie their ups national with sports incoming agenciesand NPCs eg Disability APC/Australian Sport Sports Wales Commission b) Maintaintoward legacy incoming programmes Paralympic post countries Games catalyst time for prep and holding camps g) Potential to further educate general public on disability—further Engagement with wider disability sector to ensure preparation to exploit a) Home Games provide vehicleb) to educate schools / colleges on Any paralympic education programme mustc) have To element agree of “joined flexibility up” to programme “fit” with into Home 2012 Games / to Paralympics provide GB vehicle for raising profile 2012 of to paralympic consult and on education with partners and provide “added value” to “Joined up” marketing strategy linking key partners, media, central and d) Paralympic Pre-Games preparation and Holding Camps providee) Potential for “adoptf) a second country” a) approach by Link Welsh schools schools into Potential cross-cultural to programmes further using educate Paralympics “mainstream” as sport / public sector providers / Link Generate to excitement Disability around Sport Welsh schools Wales “inclusion linked education to programme” host throu nation status ducation E Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Ev 37 f) Accessibility standards driven up Country strategies to create addednew value programmes and leading legacy—not to to capacity compete issues with experience and later broader experience by disabled people usiness B Benefits Challenges of demand by disabled peopleathletes linked to large squads of incoming NPCGames and Games time b) Access to disability equity training e) Access to disability equity training c) Accessibility standards driven up tourism / transport services in broader range of pr materials opportunities grass roots / academy / education / type activities and linked to Home supporting community systems / individualprogrammes athletes / nationalathletes that could then be used in wider market place to contribute to its further development innovation and development opportunities to enhance disabled athlete a) Opportunity to further train and prepare tourism sectorb) for higher levels Potential to a) improve transport Increase sector awareness via of Games equity requirements—Pre- standards d) Increase awareness of equity standards c) Potential to exploitd) and improve visual imagery of disabled people Potential using to link 2012 sponsors and businesses Availability of to appropriate disability imagery sport and using it Strategic approach to impact of potential 2012 sponsor involvement in e) Potential to link businesses (outside of Games) tof) disability sport – Innovation in business, developing Games requirements for disabled Heighten profile of disability sport and opportunities for Welsh businesses 2012 lead on Games village/venue requirements and potential for ourism and T Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Ev 38 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence Wales. Maintain opportunities for disabledcontinue children to and participate young in people sport2012, to and thereby physical maximising activity the in fullimpact the potential of lead of its in the legacy to Games for and disabled the participants full and athletes inclusive—setting the standard ective marketing of London 2012 to ensure full stadiums and increase Develop four year strategy to increase public exposure to the excellence of V Benefits Challenges public appreciation and awareness of paralympic and disability sportpoor perception of the Games Paralympicthe sport Games, thereby missing opportunitiesexpectations to within change sport perceptions and and physical activity the Games and maximise the legacy opportunities to change the way a nation thinks b) E c) Non-inclusion of Intellectuallyd) Disabled Athletes in London 2012 and the Not providing opportunities for Continue disabled to children lobby and IPC/INAS people FIDe) to to attend resolve issues Not planning and LOCOG delivering to the consider Games programmes in that an can inclusive assist manner disabled people to attend To ensure that all aspects of the 2012 Games experience are fully a) Lottery funding diverted to London 2012 Disability sports scheme currently funded through lottery investment in isk R December 2008 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Memorandum submitted by Fields in Trust (FIT) Fields in Trust (FIT)—formerly theNational Playing Fields Association—is a registered UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and health of all members of society, by assisting in the provision, improvement and protection of high quality, well used facilities for outdoor sport, play and recreation. In terms of theinquiry into the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales, Fields in Trust’s primary area of relevance is the potential for developing sporting excellence in Wales. London 2012 will ensure that sport is at the very top of the agenda and FIT believes it is vital that this once in a lifetime opportunity is capitalised upon to increase investment in sporting facilities and ultimately to increase participation in sport. Creating greater opportunities for people to be out and active on playing fields will ensure that participation rates increase and will provide the necessary foundation for sporting excellence to flourish. Playing fields are vital to our sporting landscape for all aptitude levels but are often also the first step towards elite participation. Simon Clegg, Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association said “Every elite athlete has their first taste of activity playing on an open space or recreational field—the importance of such facilities in the development of our sporting elite, as well as for the health and enjoyment of the entire population, should not be underestimated.” A grassroots sporting legacy was integral to the success of the 2012 bid and Fields in Trust is keen to ensure that this goal remains a priority. Fit for Gold is our proposed legacy project consisting of numerous programme areas to protect, improve and encourage participation on playind fields across the country. Fit for Gold is a continuation of our work and will ensure that open recreational spaces are protected for the benefit of people now and for future generations. Currently 18 playing fields are under threat in Wales and many areas do not meet minimum recommended levels of provision proving that this lasting legacy could have a real and positive impact on individual communities across the country. We are currently working with a range of delivery partners and looking for corporate partners to collaborate with the project and help bring it to life. We would welcome the opportunity to explore mutually beneficial partnerships. Fields in Trust is creating a legacy of outdoor recreational spaces for future generations to enjoy and through Fit for Gold has the power to positively impact communities both now and in the future. December 2008
Memorandum submitted by Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics and Paymaster General Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to attend and give evidence in front of the Welsh AVairs Committee on 27 January, concerning the benefits of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Wales. During the inquiry I undertook to provide the Committee with specific facts and documents in response to certain questions asked. Please find enclosed information, where possible, as requested by the Committee. I would like to begin by assuring you that I am committed to updating the Committee on the benefits of the London 2012 Games to Wales over the next three years. I am also committed to pursuing a high level of engagement between myself and the Welsh Assembly and will ensure that the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) continue to meet with Welsh businesses in order to see what more can be done to maximise the business opportunities associated with the Games. During the inquiry, I also oVered to provide an estimate of the supply chain value of contracts for Welsh businesses, so that the benefit to the Welsh economy may be demonstrated. Currently, the ODA is conducting research to assess the values of contracts in the supply chains, with initial results due in spring. I will provide the Committee with information regarding Welsh businesses who have won work in the supply chains when this is available. As I highlighted during the inquiry, there have already been a number of contracts awarded to businesses in Wales through the ODA’s supply chains these include: — Fairfield Mabey providing structural steel work for structures, bridges and highways (for Balfour Beatty). — Rowecord Holdings providing structural steelwork for Aquatics Centre (for Balfour Beatty). — Rhino Doors providing doors for the shafts that provide access to the undergrounded powerlines (for Murphy’s). I was also asked to make a commitment that Lilleshall will play an integral part in the training facilities for the national team, and in response undertook to inform you of the decisions made about Lilleshall and its use for the 2012 Games. Lilleshall Sports Centre caters for an extensive range of Olympic Sports and is the base for numerous sporting organisations, including British Gymnastics, the Grand National Archery Society, as well as the Football Association. Lilleshall has been identified by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) as a potential pre-Games Training Camp oVering facilities for Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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both Olympic and Paralympic sports and disciplines. There are a total of 12 Olympic sports and disciplines including Archery, Gymnastics, Hockey and Fencing. There are a further seven Paralympic sports and disciplines including Goalball, Paralympic Volleyball, Paralympic Five-a-side Football and Wheelchair Fencing. Many of our aspiring Olympians and Paralympians are already using the facility in their preparations for London 2012. Lilleshall is also a satellite centre for the English Institute of Sport, which is a nationwide network of sport science and sports medical support services, designed to foster the talents of our elite athletes.
However, please be aware that Government has no involvement with the selection of the preparation camp for Team GB in advance of the Games in 2012. This is entirely a matter for the British Olympic Association, who announced in January 2008 that Aldershot had been chosen as the location for Team GB’s Preparation Camp.
In regards to the construction cost of the Mountain Bike facility to be based in Essex, I undertook to either provide it in confidence or to release the information once negotiations are complete. LOCOG has not yet commenced the contractor appointment for the mountain bike venue works. The project is currently at the design development stage. As I am sure you understand, releasing information at this stage could unfairly prejudice the competitive tendering process or any future commercial negotiations. Therefore, I will be unable to provide any further information on this issue until commercial negotiations are concluded.
Although there is not an exact list of World Championships in Olympic and other sports due to be held in the UK in the run up to 2012 and immediately after, I am able to provide a table, which is a list of world class sporting events due to be held over the next ten years in the UK. Please see Annex A for further information. I would also like to take this opportunity to make a correction regarding my statement that the World Sailing Championships would be taking place at Weymouth in 2010. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Championships take place every four years and in 2011 will be held in Perth, Western Australia.
The purpose of this list, initially referred to by the Secretary of State, Andy Burnham, at the beginning of this year, was to provide an indication of the number and variety of sporting events that are taking place in the UK. I hope that the list indicates a balance in distribution of sporting events being held at diVerent locations in the run up to the London 2012 Games.
In addition to steps already taken to fully incorporate the use of the Welsh language, I am pleased to inform you that LOCOG’s online education resource “Get Set”, is being developed into a Welsh version. The website in its current format is under construction but can be found at the following address http:// getset.london2012.com/cymraeg. There is also a fully developed Welsh Language section of the main London 2012 website which may be found at the following address
www.london2012.com/about/the-people-delivering-the-games/the-nations-and-regions-group/ cymru.php.
Our commitment to link the Welsh language with sport, culture and education is underlined by LOCOG’s creation of the Welsh Inspire Mark. This is the first ever non-commercial brand for use by cultural and community stakeholders for events genuinely inspired by London 2012, and LOCOG has now launched a Welsh version. The Mark has already been awarded to a performing arts scheme for young people across Wales. I hope that more non-commercial community projects are encouraged to apply for the Mark from Wales.
With regard to volunteering, over 240,000 people have now registered their interest in volunteering through LOCOG’s website. The oYcial Games-time volunteer programme will launch in the summer of 2010, and will oVer up to 70,000 opportunities during the Games, although many of these will require volunteers with specialist skills and experience.
LOCOG are working with a number of key stakeholders to explore how we can activate interest in volunteering across the UK and we can update you on these developments in due course.
Alongside, LOCOG’s work, we are working on our plans for a nationwide volunteering programme to fulfil our legacy promise to get thousands more young people volunteering, which will include the national roll out of the Personal Best programme, which engages some of the most disadvantaged people in the country.
The Committee also asked how the lottery funding of £675 million will be returned or distributed. I attach a copy in Annex B of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Committee (27 June 2007), which as stated, sets out the order in which the £675 million from the lottery will be returned. March 2009 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Annex B
ANNEX A—LIST OF MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS
DATE EVENT LOCATION 2009 European Mixed Team Badminton Championships Liverpool 2009 Junior and Cadet World Fencing Championships Belfast 2009 World Modern Pentathlon Championships London 2009 The Ashes—Australia v England, First Test CardiV 2009 ICC World Twenty20 Cricket Nottingham, London 2009 UK School Games CardiV, Swansea 2009 Wheelchair Tennis World Team Cup Nottingham 2009 Modern Pentathlon World Championships Crystal Palace 2009 Sailing Raceboard Youth & Masters World Championships Weymouth 2009 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships London 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup London 2010 Goalball World Championships SheYeld 2010 European Water Ski Championships Thorpe 2010 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships Birmingham 2010 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships Birmingham 2010 European Individual Badminton Championships Manchester 2010 Ryder Cup Newport 2011 Badminton World Championships London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games London 2013 Rugby League World Cup Bidding For 2012 Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 Ryder Cup Gleneagles 2015 Rugby World Cup Bidding For 2019 Cricket World Cup TBA
Annex C
ANNEX B—MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
OLYMPIC FUNDING: REVISED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MAYOR OF LONDON—JUNE 2007
Introduction 1. In anticipation of a bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London (“the Olympic Games”) the Government and the Mayor of London entered into and published in June 2003 a Memorandum of Understanding (“the 2003 MOU”). 2. The 2003 MOU provided for a Public Sector Funding Package (“PSFP”) of £2,375 million to be made available for the Olympic Games and paragraph 23 stated that “in the event that additional public funds become available for the Olympic Games Ministers and the Mayor agree to review the arrangements within this memorandum of understanding.” The Secretary of State set out that in the event that we won the Games she would institute a detailed review of costs. 3. On 6 July 2005 London won the honour of hosting the Olympic Games. 4. Following the bid win the Government carried out a thorough review of the costs of the Olympic Games which identified the requirement to meet additional costs and provisions for contingency. On 15 March 2007 the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (“the Secretary of State”) announced: (1) substantial additional funding for the Olympic Games resulting in a revised provision of £9,325 million (“the revised funding package”) comprising: Olympic Lottery: £750 million as per the PSFP Sports Lottery: £340 million as per the PSFP National Lottery: £1,085 million ie an increased provision of £675 million Mayor: £925 million ie an increased provision of £300 million (not funded from increases in Council Tax or Fares) LDA: £250 million as per the PSFP Government: £5,975 million additional provision (including provision for wider security and Policing) Total funding provision £9,325 million Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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(2) The Mayor of London and I have agreed that we will re-write our Memorandum of Understanding and put in place profit-sharing arrangements to enable the Lottery and future regeneration needs of the local area to benefit from the returns on investment that we are making in the Olympic Park. 5. This revised MOU sets out the new understanding between the Government and the Mayor of London as to how the costs of the Olympic Games should be met and replaces the 2003 MOU. Its purpose is to provide an agreed framework for future decision making. It is not intended to be a legally binding document but it will be an important material consideration to be taken into account by the Government and the Mayor when making decisions in the future and can be taken forward via the LDA’s Section 10 grant-oVer letter. Its operation is subject to the normal decision-making processes of the bodies involved.
The Funding Streams
The Mayor’s Funding 6. The Mayor’s Funding: a) The Mayor will provide a maximum of £625 million from the Olympic precept, as provided for in the original Memorandum of Understanding. b) The amount to be raised through the council tax precept for the 2012 Games will be no more that £20 a year for a Band D council tax household and will be spread over the period 2006–07 to 2016–17. c) In addition the Mayor has agreed to provide a further £300 million as provided for in the revised funding provision announced by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 15 March 2007. The timing of its availability will be matter for agreement between the Government and the Mayor. However, the first call on this funding will not be before 2010–11 and will be in tranches of no more than £100 million per annum. d) The sourcing of the £300 million is a matter for the Mayor but the Mayor has confirmed that it will not be found from either an increase in the Council Tax precept or an increase in Fares. The Mayor is examining a range of approaches for meeting the £300 million. e) The Mayor’s initial £625 million from the Council Tax precept will be provided until 31 March 2017 and will be mainly paid direct to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), during the life of the ODA, for capital expenditure purposes within Greater London. Thereafter it will be paid to an appropriate residuary body. This does not preclude payments being made to other bodies and being used for legacy purposes, if appropriate.
The London Development Agency’s £250 million Funding 7. The London Development Agency will: a) provide the ODA a grant of £250 million, on the same terms and conditions as the GLA’s grant funding to the ODA; b) start payment in 2008–09 and conclude in 2012–13; c) make payment in five equal annual tranches (of £50 million a year); and d) may negotiate with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, “DCMS” variations in the timing and amount of payments within the agreed total of £250 million. DCMS will seek DTI’s views on any change to the level and timing of payment.
Lottery Funding 8. Whilst the Government contribute the largest share of the funding provision for the Olympic Games, referred to in Paragraph 4 of the Introduction above: a) £675 million share of funding provision and contingency would need to be met from Lottery Funds on top of the £1.5 billion of Lottery Funding committed already; and b) to the extent that the additional lottery funding is used the Government has announced (Secretary of State’s statement of 15 March 2007) that the aim will be to compensate for some of the lottery funding transferred from the other good causes by means of an agreement with the Mayor and the LDA to share the receipts from enhanced land values following the Games. This would “enable the lottery and future regeneration needs of the local area to benefit from the returns on the investment that we are making in the Olympic Park.” c) Legislative changes may be needed either to pay the profits from the sale of land to the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) or direct to individual distributors. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Sharing of LDA Capital Receipts and Other Income 9. The land and property subject to the provisions of this MOU is that owned by the LDA within the boundary of the Olympic Park and land which has been acquired by the LDA outside the Olympic Park for the relocation of businesses from the Olympic Park (“the Land and Property”). 10. In order that any outstanding borrowings are repaid as soon as practicable, the LDA shall recover first its acquisition costs and disturbance compensation payments (which are not expected to exceed £650 million) from the proceeds from disposals of the relevant land and property. 11. After that, the proceeds of Land and Property disposals, as and when made, shall be split between DCMS and the LDA as follows: a) so as to achieve in appropriate proportion £506 million to DCMS for the lottery funders (ie 75% of the £675 million lottery funding) and £125 million retained by the LDA (this is equivalent to 25% of its estimated remaining costs associated with the remediation and disposal of land and buildings within the boundary of the Olympic Park, including fees and holding costs relating to those disposals). b) When a) above has been achieved, £169 million will be paid to DCMS for redistribution to the lottery funders (ie the final 25% of the £675 million lottery funding) and £375 million to the LDA (ie equivalent to the final 75% of its estimated remaining costs). c) Thereafter, any further amounts received over and above those required to complete the repayments to the LDA will be subject to paragraph 15 below. 12. The costs to be reimbursed do not include the grant of £250 million referred to in paragraph 7 above and committed by the LDA to the Olympic funding as part of the original Public Sector Funding Package announced by the Government in 2003, nor the further £300 million contribution from the Mayor. 13. DCMS will allocate the funds it receives from the LDA to the Lottery distributors pro-rata to their contribution. DCMS, together with the GLA shall monitor and record the receipts received and repaid. 14. The costs to the LDA of the acquisition, remediation and disposal of the Land and Property (both those costs which it has paid and those for which it is liable) and buildings and the receipts obtained from such disposals shall be independently audited on the basis of information provided to DCMS by the LDA. The LDA shall make available to DCMS and to the independent auditors all relevant books and records. 15. Should any surplus arise the use of it will be determined separately at the time by agreement between the Government and the Mayor.
Review 16. The Government and the Mayor may agree to review this Memorandum of Understanding at any point, for instance, in the light of any material change in the LDA’s role and responsibilities and future government grant funding.
Recovery of Exchequer Funds 17. Subject to the payments set out in paragraphs 11a–11c being made nothing in this MOU shall prejudice the recovery of Government Grant where this has been used for the acquisition or remediation of assets which have been sold subsequently, where this is appropriate and in accordance with the requirements of Government Accounting. 27 June 2007
Memorandum submitted by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)
London 2012—LOCOG and ODA We welcome the opportunity to provide a written submission into the committee’s inquiry into the potential benefits of the Games to Wales. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is responsible for the staging of the Games in 2012. LOCOG is a privately-financed company,with its £2 billion budget raised through broadcast rights, merchandise, ticketing and sponsorship. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is responsible for building the permanent venues, and the Olympic Park. The ODA is a Non-Departmental Public Body, funded through Central Government (via DCMS), London Government (via the Mayor of London) and the Lottery. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Ev 44 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
Together, LOCOG and ODA operate under the “London 2012” branding and this submission covers both organisations. We work closely with the Wales 2012 team (the unit set up within the Welsh Assembly Government), the Mayor of London/Greater London Authority and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport to deliver the Games.
Welsh Language
London 2012 understands that language can be a barrier to communications—but that the Games also present an opportunity to promote the Welsh language and link it to sport, culture and education: — LOCOG ensures that all of our public-facing campaign activity in Wales is in Welsh—such as publicity around the London 2012 roadshow and certificates for Welsh venues included in our Pre- Games Training Camp guide. — Online, we have developed a welsh area of our website—http://www.london2012.com/about/the- people-delivering-the-games/the-nations-and-regions-group/cymru.php — LOCOG has already worked closely with the Welsh Language Board and will continue to do so. — We are currently developing a Welsh version of “Get Set”, our online education resource, which will go live shortly. — We have specifically created a Welsh version of our “Inspire Mark”—the first non-commercial brand of its kind for use by cultural and community stakeholders. — The Inspire Mark—and the projects that it can be awarded to—are approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
— The Inspire Mark will be rolled out over the next three years. One welsh project has already been awarded the Mark—Criw Cymru, a performing arts scheme for young people across Wales, linking the CardiV Millennium Centre with Galeri (Caernarfon) in North Wales, Theatre Brycheiniog (Brecon) in Mid Wales and Sadlers Wells. We want to see more non-commercial community projects apply for the Mark from Wales.
The Nations and Regions Group
Engagement with people across all the nations and regions of the UK is critical to the success of London 2012. LOCOG has set up the London 2012 Nations and Regions group which is chaired by Charles Allen CBE and Olympian Jonathan Edwards MBE. The group has senior representation from the Welsh Assembly Government3 invited to attend regular meetings to ensure that the interests of Wales are integrated into our planning. — To take the work around the country, Lord Coe (LOCOG Chairman), Paul Deighton (LOCOG Chief Executive) and Charles Allen all undertake visits across the country. The group’s work is focused on ensuring that benefits are spread around the country, all of which fall into three strands—Sporting benefits, Business/Economic benefits, and Social benefits.
3 The Wales Group Member is Gareth Hall, supported by Co-ordinator Arthur Emyr (who is appearing before the Welsh AVairs Committee as part of the current inquiry) Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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1. Sporting benefits Sport is at the heart of what we do. Hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games gives Wales an unparalleled opportunity to promote sport to all—not least because of the opportunity to see Olympic and Paralympic Sport at close hand. — CardiV’s Millennium Stadium will be an Olympic venue—hosting rounds of the football tournament. This provides a natural focus for those living in Wales to witness Olympic sport, who will also get the chance to see a major test event there in 2011. Hosting 2012 football provides an opportunity to showcase Wales in an Olympic context. — The Olympic Park in East London will be the site of much of the action in 2012. As part of a “Public Transport” Games, spectators from Wales are within easy reach on the rail system. — In addition, sport, and culture will be shown at a Network of London 2012 Live Sites around the UK. (Live Sites are large screens, often with performance spaces around them). There are already two Live Sites in Wales—one in Swansea, and the other in CardiV—which broadcast footage from the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games and provided a focus for the handover celebrations in August and September. — Wales has the opportunity to encourage foreign teams to train there in advance of 2012, by encouraging National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) to be based across the country. — LOCOG has developed a comprehensive online London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide to help this process. Based upon the most comprehensive audit of elite sporting facilities across the UK, 31 Olympic and 16 Paralympic facilities in Wales are included in the guide. Each NOC or NPC will be awarded £25,000 from a £9 million fund set up by LOCOG, which they can spend at the facility they choose from the guide. — Already, a Memorandum Of Understanding has been agreed between the Australian Paralympic Committee and the Wales 2012 team, which is the start of a long-term relationship over the coming years to strengthen the historic sporting and cultural ties between Wales and Australia. — The UK School Games will come to Wales later this year—to CardiV, Newport and Swansea. These opportunities are being grasped by the Wales 2012 team, and local and national government as a way to boost sporting participation. They are also looking to maximise the inspirational impact of Wales’ great Olympic and Paralympic role models, such as employing David Roberts (Gold winning Paralympic swimmer from Pontypridd) in a UK-wide anti-bullying campaign. The Welsh Assembly Government has also now set up a unit to attract major events to Wales, based on successful bids for 2012 and the upcoming 2010 Ryder Cup. — While the responsibility for maximising an increase in sporting participation in Wales as a legacy of the Games lies with the Welsh Assembly Government, London 2012 obviously has a keen interest and will support initiatives that encourage people to take up sport. — LOCOG is encouraging partners to invest in sports participation activities for young people. In one early example of a programme, Lloyds TSB is funding 10 “Local Heroes” in Wales— prospective competitors/medallists in 2012.
2. Business and economic benefits Welsh firms are playing an integral role to deliver venues and infrastructure for the Games. — Welsh firms have already won significant business for Wales as a result of 2012 by securing direct contracts with the ODA and also playing major roles in the supply chains of the ODA’s major contractors. Fairfield Maybe, Rowecord Holdings, Rhino Doors, and Corus in Wales are providing products and services needed for a successful 2012, and at the same time securing Welsh jobs. — As Games-related contracts come on stream, it’s vital that companies across the country put themselves forward to win business. To support Welsh firms to tender for contracts as each one comes on stream, the London 2012 Business Network has been launched in Wales to provide information and support, and aims to leave companies better placed to tender for contracts in the future (not least, public sector contracts). A group of Welsh companies was hosted on the Olympic Park in November 2008. — “CompeteFor” has been launched online, where contracts will be tendered. Companies can register on the site, which acts as a brokerage service to enable companies to bind together to bid for contracts. — London 2012 represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for tourism in Wales and across the UK. The definitive study into economic benefits of the Games4 identifies a potential boost to the UK visitor economy of £2.09 billion over the period 2007–17, with over £600 million of this taking
4 Oxford Economic Forecasts: The value of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to UK tourism, September 2007 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
Ev 46 Welsh Affairs Committee: Evidence
place outside of London. This increased revenue comes primarily due to new visitors from the emerging markets of China, India and Russia inspired to come to the UK due to increased global media profile of the destination. Visit Wales, now part of the Welsh Assembly Government, is well- placed to make the most of this opportunity, together with support from VisitBritain.
3. Social benefits Alongside sport, London 2012 provides a major opportunity to bring Welsh culture to new audiences, and to connect with students in schools and colleges. By doing so, the vision of the founder of the modern Olympic Games Pierre de Coubertin can be made a reality. — In August and September 2008, the handover from Beijing to London for both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games represented the moment that the UK became the next host of a summer games. Alongside activities centred on the two Live Sites in Wales, LOCOG made special Handover Flags available to every local authority in Wales—and thirteen of them were raised at local events to mark the moment. — The Cultural Olympiad is a four-year national celebration of culture inspired by London 2012, which was launched in September last year with “open weekend”—five events held across Wales. Plans to take this project forward are being developed with the Wales 2012 team and their excellent Creative Programmer. — LOCOG leads on ten UK-wide/ international cultural projects, which will incorporate contributions from Welsh artists and many of which will take place in Welsh institutions. The projects will incorporate the best art, music, film, Shakespeare, museums, youth and disability art/sports. — There will be a number of additional opportunities too, already touched upon—local events across Wales will apply to become “Inspire Mark Projects” and cultural performances will be held at Wales Live Sites. — “Get Set”, the London 2012 domestic education programme launched in September last year, taking the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games5 into schools and colleges across Wales and the rest of the UK with resources published to support students and teachers. — Seb Coe visited Fitzallan High School in CardiV to promote “Get Set” and the link to the Paralympic Handover celebrated in schools and colleges. LOCOG now has 77 schools and colleges in Wales registered on the programme—covering 56,502 students. — LOCOG is also working with the Welsh Assembly Government on the first draft of their 2012 education strategy. — Finally, volunteers from Wales will pay a major role during Games-time. LOCOG will require up to 70,000 volunteers. Recruitment for these will start from 2010 for a wide range of roles, and we will be encouraging participants from Wales and across the UK. — LOCOG has worked with a range of partners on Personal Best, a pilot “Pre-Volunteer Programme” which uses the chance to become involved in the Games as a way to train and encourage people into voluntary and paid work. — The scheme has been a success, with 370 people graduating from the scheme and almost all going on to further training, volunteering or into work. LOCOG is now committed to recruit at least 10% of our volunteers force from Personal Best, which is now to be implemented across the country.
Further Information This short brief outlines the benefits to Wales from the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. None of the benefits are automatic, and almost all require a partnership approach—across LOCOG, ODA, as well as the Welsh Assembly Government, Welsh local government and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Every MP on the Welsh AVairs Committee has a role to play—getting businesses in their constituency to sign up online for a chance to bid for 2012-related contracts; encouraging local community and cultural groups to take part in the Cultural Olympiad; ensuring local schools make the most out of the domestic education programme; encouraging local authorities and communities to use the Games to inspire change in their area—across civic engagement, sport, business, culture and education. January 2009
5 Respect, Excellence, Friendship; and Inspiration, Determination, Courage and Equality.Resources also cover eight themes of Internationalism; Communication, Collaboration/Citizenship; Practical Learning; PE/Sport; Enterprise; Sustainability and Regeneration; Culture and Creativity, and Healthy, Active lifestyles. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Memorandum submitted by Sports Council for Wales
Introduction 1. This paper is submitted on behalf of the Sports Council for Wales (SCW) following an invitation by the Welsh AVairs Select Committee to give evidence to an inquiry on the above issue. 2. SCW is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body (AGSB) with responsibility for: 2.1 Increasing participation in sport by children, young people and adults. 2.2 Raising standards of performance and excellence in Welsh sport. 3. In his remit letter to the Sports Council for Wales (January 2006) the Welsh Assembly Government’s Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport wrote: “I would like to see the Sports Council for Wales’ proposals for how we might maximise the potential legacy eVects of the London 2012 Olympic Games, particularly on promoting and increasing participation in sport and physical activity amongst young people and developing volunteers”. 4. This paper discusses potential 2012 Olympic and Paralympic opportunities for Wales and in particular: 4.1 provides an overview; 4.2 discusses increasing participation, especially children and young people; 4.3 considers how performance can be improved and Welsh representation maximised; and 4.4 provides a summary.
Overview 5. The hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games in London provides the United Kingdom (including Wales) with a catalyst which should stimulate development in a wide range of sporting opportunities. However, it is also important that energy and resources remain focused on agreed priorities to ensure maximum impact. Priorities do not change because of 2012, but 2012 creates additional opportunities for promoting new and existing initiatives to create lasting legacies. 6. This paper considers potential 2012 legacies in two broad categories: 6.1 Participation—new programmes need to be developed and existing programme enhanced to ensure that Wales maximises positive impact prior to, during and after the Games. 6.2 Performance—Wales needs to establish, with UK Sport, a long term structure to ensure that talented individuals receive systematic support irrespective of their location or address. Wales also needs to identify and develop potential 2012 competitors to ensure that it maximises Welsh representation in Team GB and simultaneously maximises Welsh interest in the Games. Clearly it is also very important that potential medallists from Wales are given every opportunity to succeed.
Participation 7. The 2012 Games will receive saturation media coverage particularly before and during the Games. Although its influence will be on the whole population, the major impact will be on children and young people who will have their imaginations excited and their horizons broadened. Never before will children in the United Kingdom have experienced an equivalent “advertising campaign” for sport. For all those involved in the development of sport the key issue will be to maximise the promotional benefits by ensuring that the product is on the shelf and available to all. In simple terms this means that every child needs to be given the opportunity to participate in whatever sport excites him or her. By 2012 the product should be tried, tested and be ready to undergo a period of rapid growth. 8. If children and young people are the target market clearly the obvious location has to be primary and secondary schools. The programmes for delivering these opportunities either already exist or are in the process of being developed. Dragon Sport currently is being delivered in the majority of primary schools in Wales as is “5x60” in Secondary Schools. Appendix 1 provides a summary of the current situation and achievements to date. 9. If Wales is to maximise the massive promotional benefits of the Olympic Games in London a step change has to be achieved. Although Dragon Sport operates in nearly every primary school and 5x60 in nearly every secondary school the frequency of organised activity varies considerably across schools. By September 2012 every school in Wales should be oVering Dragon Sport or Secondary School Sport opportunities not only between 4–6 pm Monday-Friday but also 9–12 on Saturday mornings. In addition lunch time sport opportunities need to become the norm rather than the exception. These targets may be ambitious but are achievable if people are committed to them. The prize will be to secure Wales’ future as a sporting nation. The systems for training and delivery already exist and with appropriate investment they Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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will be more productive. Local solutions will sometimes diVer and an appropriate mix has to be found for all circumstances. Teachers, students, leaders, parents and coaches will need to be recruited, trained and supported. 10. Inevitably some children will enjoy participation for its own sake and will relish the chance to experience a wide range of sports. Other children will quickly become hooked and will be seeking opportunities to further develop their skills and take part in appropriate competition. To cater for this anticipated influx, community sports clubs will need to be supported to increase their volunteer base, their pool of coaches and also increased access to available facilities. There is no point in increasing junior membership in clubs which have already achieved their membership threshold because they are unable to increase access to facilities. (This is currently the situation in sports such as gymnastics and swimming). 11. To drive this forward SCW has established a National Framework for Junior Sport (Appendix 2) in order to help direct, prioritise and coordinate the work of various partners. The framework is an integrated approach to the development and delivery of programmes and activities for children and young people. Importantly by linking schools with their communities it will create culture whereby children and young people will continue to participate into adulthood. 12. SCW works closely with the Federation of Disability Sport Wales (FDSW). Over £1 million per annum is invested through FDSW into both grass roots and high performance work. Opportunities for disabled children to participate in sport are mainstreamed through the various SCW programmes as well as disability specific programmes run by FDSW and its member associations. A separate submission is being made by FDSW and their contribution will not be repeated here.
Performance 13. UK Sport has responsibility for funding UK/GB teams and individuals participating at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. SCW works closely with UK Sport and the respective governing bodies to ensure that appropriate support is provided to individuals. Through its sports science and sports medicine unit, SCW provides support to individuals at World Class level based in Wales. Most of these individuals will be Welsh but services will also be provided to English, Scottish and Northern Ireland individuals training in Wales. 14. Appendix 3 discusses Welsh representation and success at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. In summary, the five medals won by Welsh competitors at the Olympics were the best for 100 years. The 10 gold medals won by Paralympians comprised 25% of the total Team GB Paralympic medal tally. This was an outstanding result considering that Wales comprises 5% of the UK population. 15. Welsh interest in the London Olympic and Paralympic Games will be very high if Team GB includes a significant number of competitors from Wales and a proportion of these become medal winners. Although the UK Team will be larger than ever before the competition for places will be very intense. Clearly, young, talented individuals will be even more motivated than ever because of the public profile of the Games. 16. Most UK governing bodies of sport believe that almost all of potential 2012 team members are already in the system, that is, most will currently be competing at a high level although the competition might not be at senior level yet. It is important that Wales identifies these individuals and develops with them personal plans for the next three to four years. Governing bodies, coaches, SCW E´ lite Cymru staV, parents and potential competitors need to agree targets and goals for each of the next four years and also clarify the support systems which have to be put in place. This work is currently being actioned. 17. The formula for success in performance sport as described below is quite simple although its implementation can be very challenging. 18. To implement, Wales needs to develop a network of programmes and people which: 18.1 enables talented individuals to be identified; 18.2 ensures that they have regular and frequent access to gifted coaches; 18.3 ensures they are able to regularly take part in challenging competition; and 18.4 provides regular and frequent access to facilities, sport science/medicine. 19. In some parts of Wales it is not easy to implement all elements of the success formula particularly in areas of low population where it is diYcult for the talented to gain regular and frequent contact with gifted coaches, and also access appropriate competition. In these areas SCW provides enhanced support to compensate for logistical disadvantage. 20. These principles have been pursued at a national level for some time through Elite Cymru. They are now being further developed through the North Wales Institute of Sport and a similar structure is planned to be established in West Wales during the next financial year. 21. The role of a regional institute of sport is to identify individuals with the potential to compete at the very highest levels and help them to implement the success formula and manage issues which could have either a positive or negative impact on their development. Personal plans, which embrace the principles of the success formula, need to be established and managed on a competitor centred approach. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Specific Olympic Initiatives
22. It is important that the London 2012 Games are seen within the context of current strategic plans and programmes however, specific initiatives being developed include: 22.1 Olympic Day—Olympic Day will be held each year on 23 June. It is proposed to encourage schools across Wales to hold a Dragon Sport or 5x60 event on Olympic Day and to provide a culminating opportunity for cross-curricular activities. In some areas, this will be a local authority wide event. 22.2 National Sport Week—The 2009 National Sport Week will take place between 29 June and 3 July. Schools in Wales will be encouraged to take part in activities such as festivals and intra and inter school competition promoted by Dragon Sport and 5x60. 22.3 Resources and Materials—SCW will work with the Welsh Assembly Government to support any future plans for the development of cross curricular materials. These will encourage teachers and children to think about the Olympic and Paralympics ideals, history and operation and also, to utilise the Olympics as an exciting theme through which basic and core skills can be developed. Materials specific to Dragon and 5x60 may also be developed. 22.4 International Inspiration—The SCW is working with the British Council to help engage 15 schools from Wales in this project. Schools will work with partner schools from Tanzania to foster inter- cultural learning and laying the foundations for education innovation in the curriculum through sport. 22.5 Leadership—SCW will build on the role sports leaders can play through work in all its active young people programmes.
Summary
23. With commitment and support Wales should create a 2012 Olympic legacy which: 23.1 Creates Dragon Sport opportunities in every primary school for a minimum of 13 hours a week. 23.2 Creates Secondary School Sport opportunities in every school for a minimum of 13 hours a week. 23.3 Ensures community sports clubs can welcome an influx of new members. 23.4 maximises Wales’ representation in London 2012, future Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
24. The legacy proposals have the potential to impact on every child in Wales and help enhance Wales’s status as a true sporting nation.
APPENDIX 1
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ACHIEVEMENTS
In 1998, 40% of 7–11 year olds were undertaking extra-curricular activity; eight years on this figure had more than doubled to 84%. The equivalent measure for 11–16 year olds has risen from 49% in 1998 to 77% in 2006.
There have also been significant increases in sports club participation: from 58% to 81% for 7–11 year olds, and from 42% to 81% for 11–16 year olds over the same period.
94% of primary schools now oVer Dragon Sport and there were 148,000 participants last year.
Following on from our continued success with Dragon Sport, we have established our secondary school extra-curricular initiative, 5x60. It is currently being oVered to 98% of schools in Wales, and proving to be successful in getting more young people engaged in sport and physical recreation.
Complementing the 5x60 programme, the Physical Education and Secondary School Sport (PESS) initiative aims to raise standards in PE through the training of teachers. Recent Estyn inspections in primary schools have shown that 40% of the lessons observed in schools involved in PESS were graded “good with some outstanding features”; this compares with 5% for all primary schools in Wales. We now have 74% of schools in Wales that are part of the PESS programme. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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APPENDIX 2
NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR JUNIOR SPORT
Development of People
PRIMARY (3-11) SECONDARY 11+ AT SCHOOL AT SCHOOL
Technical PESS Physical & Tactical & Movement PESS Development Skill Development Fundamentals Active Lifestyles
AFTER SCHOOLPRIORITY AFTER SCHOOLPRIO RITY
Fun Exciting
Fundamentals Development of People Variety
Dragon Sport Inclusive 5x60 Choice Clubs Clubs
P P RIO RIO RIT Key Partners RIT Y Joined Up Plans Y Development of People & Programmes Pathways Pathways & Exit & Exit Routes Routes COMMUNITY ADULTS
Leisure Life long Recreation participation
Structured Formal Clubs Clubs
Adventurous Private
Competitive Casual Sport Pay and Play Informal Sport & Physical Recreation
Development of People
APPENDIX 3
BEIJING 2008—OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES
Participation
1. Twelve competitors from Wales were selected for the Olympic Games, which was a reduction from Athens (17) and Sydney (15). The main reason for this reduction was the decline in the number of competitors from athletics. Two were selected for Beijing (Christian Malcolm and Philippa Roles) as opposed to eight in Athens and nine in Sydney.Clearly this is disappointing especially as investment in Welsh Athletics in recent years has been very significant (for example, the National Indoor Athletics Centre, UWIC). Although disappointing this was not unexpected and action has been taken, and will continue to be taken, to address this lack of progress. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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2. The situation regarding Paralympic selection was the reverse. Wales increased its representation from 18 in Sydney, and 23 in Athens, to 31 in Beijing. This was very satisfying especially as 50% of the team were taking part in the Games for the first time and should be available for London 2012. 31 competitors represented three times Wales’ per capita ratio. 3. It is anticipated that Welsh representation in both Olympic and Paralympic Games will increase in 2012 because the UK team will be larger as UK teams and individuals will not be required to qualify (a privilege accorded to the host country).
Medals
4. Although Olympic representation was down it was always anticipated that Wales would increase its medal tally. SCW’s Framework document published in 2005 stated: “At the 2008 and 2012 Games Wales will have high medal potential, with a number of genuine gold medal chances. We can be confident that we will achieve the Welsh Assembly Government’s target of averaging three medals per Games over the next 20 years.” 5. Wales produced five medallists at the Olympic Games and this was comfortably Wales’ best performance in recent history. It was also interesting to note that there were others who were close to medals—Gemma Lowe (4th and 6th); Christian Malcolm (5th) and Sarah Thomas (6th). 6. Although Wales’ Paralympic representation was increased it was anticipated that the number of medals to be won would be less than in previous Games, as a result of key retirements (Tanni Grey-Thompson, Emma Brown). In addition other countries, and particularly China have improved significantly. 7. In total Wales won 14 Paralympic medals of which 10 were gold. A summary of the last three Games for both Olympic and Paralympic games is tabulated below:
No of medals No of medals No of Welsh won by Welsh No of Welsh won by Welsh Olympians Olympians Paralympians Paralympians BEIJING 2008 12 5 31 14 ATHENS 2004 17 1 23 27 SYDNEY 2000 15 1 18 26
Country Comparisons
8. In medals won on a per capita basis Wales was the most successful of the home countries, in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as has also been the case in recent Commonwealth Games. 9. In the Olympic Games, of the countries which won more medals than Wales only Jamaica has a smaller population. In the Paralympic Games Wales was the most successful country in the World on medals per capita. On gold medals won per capita Wales was more than twice as successful as any other country:
Population per gold medals won (qualifying criteria—top 10 countries winning five or more gold medals). Country No of Gold Medals Population (millions) per medal won Wales 8.25* 0.359 New Zealand 5 0.855 Australia 23 0.931 Tunisia 9 1.147 Hong Kong 5 1.391 England** 32.75 1.550 Czech Republic 6 1.737 Canada 19 1.757 Sweden 5 1.845 Ukraine 24 1.919
*medals shared with other home countries are counted at 0.5 or 0.25 depending on event eg relays/team events. ** includes Wales. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Sports Council Wales (SCW)
10. The contribution of SCW to Welsh success is diYcult to quantify, but none the less, has been significant. It normally takes 10 years or longer to develop a medallist, and Welsh Olympic and Paralympic competitors have benefitted from national governing body programmes and coaches over this period, both of which are directly funded by SCW. In particular, competitors such as Nicole Cooke, Geraint Thomas, David Davies and Dave Roberts have received specialist support from SCW over a long period of time. All four for example, were members of the Elite Cymru programme from a relatively young age. 11. Ten of the 13 Welsh based competitors (includes some English athletes) who represented the United Kingdom in the Olympic Games, and three of the five Welsh medallists have received sports science and sports medicine support from SCW. Thirty-three of the 35 Welsh based Paralympic competitors have also received sports science and medicine support from SCW. 12. In recent years Wales has established high performance centres for swimming (Swansea University), triathlon (Swansea University); athletics (UWIC) and Cycling (Newport); and one of the side benefits of this is the fact that competitors from other countries, and England in particular, now base themselves in Wales. Three English Paralympic swimming medallists have relocated to Swansea, including 13 year old Ellie Simmons who became the UK’s youngest ever gold medallist, and probably the most recognizable member of the UK teams. 13. Wales contributed a long list of coaches and backroom staV to the UK team, and in cycling in particular, the support team was dominated by Welsh individuals. 14. The Olympics Cycling team held in pre Games training camp in Newport, and the sailing team based its team building camp at Plas Menai. December 2008
Memorandum submitted by Swim Wales Swim Wales is the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming.
Swimming Aim
1) Swim Wales has a clear mission—to get more people swimming more often, for enjoyment and for health; and to win more medals in international competition. London 2012 presents major opportunities— which must not be wasted—to provide the lasting, national swim facility the sport badly needs; to motivate many more people across the UK to swim regularly and thus to encourage active, healthy living; and to win national prestige, through medal performance. 2) Britain’s number one participation sport is swimming. Swimming is crucial to the 2012 Games—it is the launch of competition, it is the first week, this early start as shown at previous games makes swimming the most sought- after event at the outset of the Games and tickets are like gold dust. Swimming will win vital early medals for the GB Olympic team in which there will be Welsh success.
British Swimming and Swim Wales
3) Swim Wales is one of the founding Countries that make up British Swimming and is focused upon the strategic direction and management of elite athlete performance, and Olympic and Paralympic medal success in four Olympic sports. However, Swim Wales also includes the disciplines of open water swimming, synchronised swimming, diving and water polo. The remit of Swim Wales is to ensure the widest participation in the sport and that those people with talent can make a smooth transition into the elite programmes of Swim Wales and British Swimming. 4) Our joint aims are: a) To ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn to swim. b) To ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy swimming or water based activities for health and fun throughout their lifetime. c) To ensure everyone achieves their diVerent personal goals throughout their lifetime. d) To ensure we achieve gold medal success on the world stage. In short we are about more people swimming more regularly having more fun and more medals. Swimming is for life. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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2012 Legacy
Participation and Health 5) The core of the Singapore bid was the national participation in active sport, the promised eVort to use London 2012 to boost participation is also critical to the community’s healthy living and anti-obesity goals. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to motivate the population to do more physical activity. We need that 2012 magic to work; but it requires clear leadership, careful planning and maximum eVort. 6) We know that swimming is the activity most people want to try; we know at least one in five of the population can’t swim; we know we have more pool stock available than ever before, in the public and private sectors. We must take the opportunity and encourage more participation. 7) The 2012 Olympic Games gives Welsh sport a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a huge leap forward in performance. However, we also believe that it provides a catalyst for sport to contribute towards improving health, fighting obesity, improving the quality of life and helping combat some of the social ills of crime, drug abuse and equity.
Legacy Use 8) The facilities provided will make the Aquatic Centre a national venue for high level competition events in all the various disciplines of swimming as well as regional, county and other swimming competitions an, with the spectator seating expanded to 3,500, will be suitable for major international events including the European Championships and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Disability Swimming Championships and as a support venue for the holding of the World Championships. 9) To the north of the Olympic Park a further four temporary 50m by eight lane training pools will be provided. These temporary pools will be used during the Games and could be sold to partners to further enhance the stock of facilities throughout the country bringing tangible benefits to the nation from staging the Olympics. North Wales could be one such venue and we would like the Welsh Assembly Government to take advantage of this in increasing the stock of 50 metre pools in Wales.
Impact of the Games
Before the Games 10) It is diYcult to be specific about the impact that the success in winning the Games for London has had on grass roots participation in swimming but what can be said is that Swim Wales is now involved with a number of diVerent partners in initiatives which are aimed at getting more people swimming. 11) Initial interest in swimming often comes through school or because of family involvement and participation is often sustained throughout life. Unlike many sports the cost of equipment, a costume, towel and perhaps a pair of goggles, is small and for this reason alone swimming is well placed to make a significant impact on the Government’s objective of promoting activity for all, through its “ 5 x 30” and “5 x 60 ” initiatives. 12) Swimming is already the most popular sports activity with 11.9 million people swimming regularly and research has shown that 13% of the population who do not have an active lifestyle consider swimming would be their choice of recreation. 13) The challenge is to transfer this interest into activity but for swimming to make an impact in increasing participation there needs to be a culture change in the way swimming pools are operated to meet the diverse needs of both new and existing customers. 14) Swim Wales is now involved, with Sports Council Wales (SCW) and the Unitary Authorities (UA), with Welsh Assembly Government funded schemes in which swimming is being used to encourage people to be more active. 15) We have introduced a pilot project, the Aqua-passport, for learning to swim in Rhondda Cynon TaV where the free swimming programme will provide a mixture of structured and unstructured pool sessions aimed at young people, and, in particular, the most hard to reach and vulnerable. 16) Following on from the Free Swim initiatives for children in Wales, which was introduced before the Olympic bid, Swim Wales has helped in its success by producing a FitSwim guide for young and old, which the Welsh Assembly Government applied throughout all the Local Authorities. 17) There is a cost in providing training and ongoing professional development for the pool operators, swimming teachers, coaches and pool staV to equip them with the skills needed to drive the activity and the health agenda. Swim Wales in conjunction with SCW is introducing an upskilling programme for all the UA staV. 18) There is also a need to ensure that the necessary facilities are available to meet an increase in use and the needs stemming from the broadening of the range of activities and importantly that these facilities will be aVordable and accessible to all. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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19) If further initiatives are to be introduced we believe that there is a need for a strategic approach led by the Government which will give eVective co-ordination of all parties involved including the private sector. 20) We are using our partnership with the Kellogg’s Swim Active programme to provide classes for young people and their families, and to provide ethnic minority females in Swansea with easier access to swimming facilities. This is part of a UK wide £3 million project funded by Kellogg’s and match funded by the SCW. In the South East and North regions, we are using the support to educate families that exercise, together with a balanced diet, is integral to a healthy lifestyle.
After the Games 21) For swimming the key after the Games is to continue the impetus, which will have been generated in the run up to the Games and we would hope to see: swimming continuing to maintain and improve upon the competitive standards to which we have aspired during the games; hold its number one place as the most popular sports activity; play a major part in sustaining a healthy lifestyle by increasing the numbers of people swimming. 22) To do so, however, will require the appropriate support which includes facilities and in particular more 50m pools, coaching and funding to be able to maintain this level.
Athlete Development
World Class Podium and Development 23) Identifying and developing Welsh talent to ensure Great Britain fields a strong competitive team in all aquatic disciplines in 2012 will also ensure a continuing growth of talent for the future beyond 2012. We were all delighted to see the swimming team return with six medals from Beijing which was the best result for 100 years and of which for the second games running we brought home a medal to Wales. Clearly London could be a further springboard for Welsh Swimming. 24) Below the World Class programme, Swim Wales is developing programmes to strengthen the development of talent. With the investment we receive from SCW and Sports Aid we are building through our clubs the countries’ best talent pathway. a) Using training and personal development programmes are being developed based on the Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD). b) Training camps for young athletes at National, Youth, Regional and Skills levels also includes coach development clinics and parent education seminars. c) It is recognised that the club structure is vital to the implementation of many of the legacy programmes which will develop the sport and therefore focus is given to the Dragon Mark (accredited quality club programmes). d) The development of Performance Clubs which allows local clubs to merge for Performance Swimming thus ensuring a comprehensive pathway for athletes is being developed throughout Wales. e) The London 2012 Games was a catalyst for the development of the UK School Games which in turn has been used by swimming as a basis for reviewing the whole competitive pathway for young people, helping to forge stronger links between schools and local swimming clubs and encouraging young people who are not currently taking part in any form of competitive swimming. f) In Swansea, it has encouraged closer relationships with Further and Higher Education establishments. The squads at the Wales National Pool Swansea (WNPS) have encouraged the College of Further Education and University squad swimming programme which now is showing improving results in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
Grass Roots Development 25) Swimming has a comprehensive plan in place for the teaching of swimming linked to a progressive awards structure. The plan has been reviewed in light of the work on the Long Term Athlete Model and a revised plan is now in place. a) Swimming is part of the national curriculum, all children need to achieve at least 25m before leaving primary school. Each pupil needs to develop a range of skills and not just be limited to the measure of achieving 25 metres as general water confidence and skills will provide benefit to them in the future. b) We are working with the Assembly Government Free Swimming initiative to introduce a scheme that all children in Wales will be able to swim by the age of 11. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Long Term,Wide Ranging Participation Development 26) We have concerns about the survival of swimming clubs, the large majority of whose membership is under 16 years of age. Many lead a precarious existence having diYculty in obtaining access to appropriate pool time at an aVordable hiring charge. The solution lies in sympathetic management but in many instances either commercial pressures prevail and/or there is a sad lack of understanding as to the community service oVered by clubs and we welcome the consideration being given to making free swimming for children more widely available but we would like to see this consideration coupled with the role of clubs and how those clubs with a large number of children in their membership could also benefit from some system of concessions.
27) Outcome 4: All Children in Wales to swim by the age of 11 years Swim Wales has put a proposition to the Welsh Assembly Government and the Sports Council Wales to introduce a scheme to ensure every child in Wales can swim by the age of 11. We have recommended that this project is part of the Free Swim Initiative and in addition will result in up-skilling of teachers and coaches within the Unitary Authorities.
Volunteers 28) Swim Wales is a key partner in the development of the UK Coaching Framework. This educational framework will play a key role in ensuring swimming teaching and coaching is recognised as a profession not only in the Principality but also in UK wide. The framework provides a comprehensive continuing development programme based on recognised qualifications. Swimming is currently a “trailblazer” at the forefront of this development programme and has already launched several qualifications linked to the framework, which are strengthening the quality of the delivery of swimming teaching and coaching. 29) London 2012 has brought a focus onto the development of young volunteers and funding from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) has enabled Swim Wales to implement a programme aimed at encouraging young volunteers (Millennium Volunteers). This programme oVers them the opportunity to become qualified as Technical OYcials and Administrators and/or Swimming Teachers and Coaches. 30) The Home Countries have taken the opportunity to re-examine the career pathway and examination structure for technical oYcials and all disciplines. We have now introduced a British qualification which incorporates the best of the original Home Country qualifications. This delivery model has been aVorded by London 2012. To encourage ongoing continuing professional development, all disciplines have now established a licensing programme for oYcials coupled with a fast track programme for older and retiring athletes. This ensures we have an ongoing legacy of a comprehensive, standardised qualification and development programme for technical oYcials. 31) Linking to the cultural strategy of the Games, work is ongoing to ensure swimming’s workforce reflects the profile of the community and various strategies are in place in key areas to encourage volunteers from the black and ethnic minority (BME) communities to become involved in the sport. 32) British Swimming and Swim Wales are committed to the development of current staV as sports administrators and development staV and have a volunteering policy that allows staV to “work” within the sport or other agencies as part of their personal development. In addition we are keen to develop a programme that will work with retiring athletes to provide information and opportunities to be part of the sport either as paid or volunteer staV. 33) London 2012 also highlighted the need to identify suitable personnel for international exposure and a nucleus of appropriately qualified members have been given the opportunity to attend events overseas as event organisers, technical oYcials and announcers. This has resulted in LEN (the governing body of European Swimming Federations) and FINA (the international governing body of swimming) requesting the presence of some of these members at additional events, particularly in the field of announcing and event organisation. 34) Our Coach Education Coordinator, has this year enhanced our international status by working with Swimming South Africa in promoting our Coach Education Programmes and helping to introduce and support them to establish a sustainable education programme.
Conclusion 37) There is no doubt that the London 2012 Games have accelerated the programmes above by the provision of additional funding and opportunities. The Games has also enabled the development of personnel to work to international standards within Swim Wales and along with British swimming has provided the opportunity for our increased profile and influence overseas. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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38) With four years to go to London, we have much more we can do to ensure the legacy leaves the sport and activity of swimming better placed. February 2009
Memorandum submitted by the Union of Welsh Independent Churches The Union of Welsh Independent Churches would like to make the following submission to the inquiry. Its contents arise from discussions at the Union’s annual conference, and subsequent developments. The Union represents aound 30,000 Christians in 450 chapels in Wales, and several in England. The Union of Welsh Independent Churches fears that Wales could lose around £100 million in grants due to the cost of the 2012 London Olympic Games. We are concerned about the devastating eVect this could have on charities and cultural activities in many communities, at a time when the Welsh language and community life is already quite fragile. The present economic crisis has deepened our concern. We are most disappointed that very few Olympic competitions will be held in Wales; apparently just a soccer game or two in CardiV. We are amazed that the mountain biking competitions will be held in Essex, when Wales has some of the best mountain biking courses in the World—and not much further from London than Weymouth and Portland, where the sailing competitions will be held. If Wales is not to benefit economically from these Games, we feel our nation should at least be allowed to exist on the international stage. So, we have called on the Welsh Assembly Government to ask the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow and arrange for Wales to compete as a nation—beginning with the 2012 London Olympics. For your information, a National Assembly Government committee has agreed to ask the IOC if Wales’ constitutional situation would allow the country to have her own Olympic team. The Petitions Committee agreed to do this after considering an on-line petition calling on the Assembly to ensure that a Welsh team competes in the 2012 Olympics and all subsequent games. The petition was in the name of Dr Geraint Tudur, General Secretary of the Union of Welsh Independent Churches. The Assembly’s committee will consider the matter further after receiving the IOC’s reply. 17 December 2008
Memorandum submitted by VisitBritain
1. Introduction
1.1 VisitBritain was created on 1st April 2003, formed by the merger of the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourist Board (by then trading as the English Tourism Council), which, together with the Tourist Boards for Scotland and Wales, were introduced under the Development of Tourism Act 1969. Incorporated under the 1969 Development of Tourism Act as the British Tourist Authority, VisitBritain is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and is accountable to Westminster, the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. 1.2 Under the devolution settlement in 1998, tourism was devolved to Scotland and Wales and VisitBritain was designated a “cross border” authority. Since that time, our Funding Agreement has taken full account of our cross border role and contains specific targets related to spreading the benefits of inbound tourism throughout Britain. 1.3 VisitBritain promotes the whole of Britain internationally in 36 markets and is responsible for the visitbritain.com consumer website which consists of 43 separate language-specific portals. VisitBritain also jointly funds the Britain and London Visitor Centre (BLVC) in Lower Regent Street, London. 1.4 It is estimated that there are 1.45 million jobs directly related to tourism activity in the UK, some 5% of all people in employment, and over two million jobs once those indirectly related to tourism activity are taken into account. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the UK, accounting for 2.7% of UK Gross Value Added and worth approximately £86.3 billion in 2007, of this, £18.7 billion was the result of spending by overseas residents. In 2007, a record 32.8 million overseas visitors came to the UK. 1.5 VisitBritain is grateful for the opportunity to share information and views for this inquiry into the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales. We would also welcome the opportunity to provide oral evidence to elaborate on those areas of the visitor economy that most interest members of the Committee. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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2. Working Effectively at National Level to Promote Britain 2.1 Given the complex structure of public sector tourism in the UK, a natural consequence of devolution, eVective partnership working is necessary at all levels to maximise eVectiveness and value for money. At national level, partnership working between VisitBritain and the national tourist boards is well embedded. 2.2 VisitBritain regards the national tourist boards; VisitScotland, Visit Wales and Visit London, plus the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), and latterly the England Marketing Advisory Board (EMAB) as key strategic, and equal, partners (the strategic partners) in building the value of inbound tourism to Britain. We recognise the synergies and eYciencies that can be obtained by working together to promote Great Britain overall, especially in less mature markets where the individual country brands are not recognised, and we have a long history of co-operative working. 2.3 This will be especially important going forward as Britain has lost market share to “newer” destinations. In order to maintain market share it is essential to build share in growth markets such as Brazil, China, India, Poland and Russia, where we are now concentrating a great deal of eVort whilst continuing to nurture high value mature markets such as the US and Japan. 2.4 The Chairmen of VisitScotland and EMAB have ex-oYcio seats on VisitBritain’s Board, and the Welsh Assembly now appoints someone to the Board directly to represent the interests of Wales. Similarly, the Chairmen of Visit London, NITB and the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA)—which has lead responsibility for tourism among the RDAs—all attend Board meetings as observers. Beneath this, the tourist board chief executives meet quarterly to discuss areas of common strategic interest and, in parallel, there are similar meetings between directors and senior operational staV engaged in all areas of our activity such as International Marketing, Public Relations, Quality,Research and Strategic and Business Planning. 2.5 VisitBritain’s overseas infrastructure, local market knowledge, contacts and general professional expertise are highly valued by our Strategic Partners as is our work in emerging markets. Against this background, and in recognition of the increased investment being made in tourism by the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Greater London Authority, in 2003, VisitBritain and its Strategic Partners introduced the “Agency Model”. 2.6 Under the Agency Model, VisitBritain withdrew from all proactive Britain marketing in four “priority markets”: the Netherlands, France, Germany and Ireland, where each of the individual country and the London brands were firmly established and recognised by consumers. Instead, VisitBritain acts as a marketing agency in providing services to the Strategic Partners and, in addition, guarantees the on-territory provision of core infrastructure and expertise that can be used by the Strategic Partners to develop, co- ordinate and launch individually branded marketing activities. 2.7 The introduction of the Agency Model has enabled VisitBritain to reallocate £1 million per annum to promoting Great Britain and its constituent brands in emerging markets. The importance of the 2012 Games to VisitBritain’s activities in emerging markets such as China, India and Russia cannot be overstated. Often Britain is seen through the lens of period drama or in the pages of Dickensian novels wrapped up in smog. These markets were among the most likely to agree that “I’m more likely to want to visit Britain in the next few years because London will host the 2012 Games”. This statement indicates a willingness to come to Britain, however it does not necessarily mean that they will. Visible marketing activity will have to be carried out in these markets to ensure that they do choose the UK ahead of competitor destinations, a task which will be made easier by good awareness and understanding of the Britain brand work being undertaken with our public diplomacy partners. 2.8 Our Strategic Partners have been extremely positive in their support of an evolving framework for marketing overseas and in November 2008 agreed to a new Memorandum of Understanding which governs how the composite brands of Britain will be promoted overseas and the level of service which VisitBritain will give to each of the strategic partners.
3. Key Insights into the Games 3.1 The Olympic and Paralympic Games provide unprecedented reach to billions of people around the world through broadcast, press and digital media. According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.7 billion viewers worldwide (approximately 70% of the global population) viewed some television broadcast coverage of the Beijing 2008 Games. Nielsen also reported that the 2008 Olympic Games were the most-viewed event in US television history. 3.2 Around the Sydney 2000 Games the Australian Tourism Commission (ATC) generated an additional US $2.1 billion (approx GBP £1.25 billion) over four years in publicity for Australia as a tourism destination through working with the media. 3.3 Global brands (ie. Coca Cola and Visa) spend millions promoting their sponsorship of the Olympic Games. At the Sydney 2000 Games partnerships between the ATC and major Olympic sponsors generated an additional US $170 million (approx GBP £100 million) in publicity for Australia. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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3.4 In the run-up to the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup the German National Tourist Board ran a Nationwide Service and Friendliness Campaign with the Organising Committee to enhance Germany’s image as a welcoming destination by improving service standards throughout the tourism and hospitality industries.
3.5 Amongst overseas markets surveyed through the Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index, emerging economies such as Mexico, India and China were more likely to agree with the phrase “I’m more likely to visit Britain in the next few years because London will host the 2012 Games” than more established markets such as France, Germany or Sweden.
3.6 Early estimates predicted that between 50–70% of the net economic benefit of staging the Games, measured over a 7–10 year period, will accrue through tourism. A subsequent 2007 Oxford Economics study commissioned by VisitBritain and Visit London forecasted that the 2012 Games could generate tourism gains of up to £2.9 billion over the period 2007 to 2017 for the UK as a whole, given a robust tourism response to the Games.
3.7 While the Games are expected to bring many participants, sponsors, oYcials and spectators to our shores, the predicted volumes of this Olympics-related tourism are within usual levels of peak time tourism demand. The biggest potential lies in Olympics-motivated tourism, ie, additional business events in, or tourist visits to, Britain as a result of heightened awareness of the destination generated directly or indirectly by the hosting of the 2012 Games, therefore tourism must be placed at the heart of the Olympics and Paralympics experience.
3.8 We expect the majority of economic benefit for tourism from the 2012 Games to fall in the period afterwards—the legacy eVect—but to eVectively maximise the legacy of the Games, the public and private sector need to work together to plan and invest so that the Games are an enormous sporting and PR success which makes overseas residents feel that Britain is a “must see” destination.
3.9 We also have to ensure that Britain has the products, and can oVer the experience and welcome that visitors will expect. This is widely recognised and, as a result, we are seeing the Games acting as a catalyst to bring together partnerships, and accelerate initiatives, that would otherwise have taken much longer to get oV the ground.
4. Preparing the Ground for Success
4.1 VisitBritain played a key supportive role with London 2012 during the bidding phase, and has since developed strong relationships with key stakeholders in the new 2012 Games environment including the British Olympic Association, UK Sport and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, as well as strengthening our ties with traditional partners such as Visit London. We have also researched the experiences of previous Winter and Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as other major international sporting events, to build a clear picture of the true opportunities for tourism in relation to the Games. We are sharing this information with the industry via a comprehensive education programme and are also using it to inform our initial brand-building and market development work.
4.2 VisitBritain has also been working to ensure that tourism is well represented across the wider 2012 Games structures. VisitBritain is represented on the Nations and Regions Group, along with the Devolved Administrations and the RDAs, and the Ministerial Advisory Group, which advises the Minister for Tourism in Westminster. VisitBritain also maintains very close relationships with the London 2012 Organising Committee, the Government Olympic Executive and the other public diplomacy agencies promoting the UK overseas.
4.3 In 2012 we aim to surpass the success of Sydney and Barcelona and set new standards in integrating tourism opportunities into the Olympic and Paralympic experience—and the subsequent legacy.That means more international visitors from more markets spending more money in Britain. It means appealing to key emerging markets in India, China, Latin America and Central & Eastern Europe to tap into great opportunities for expanding the industry. It means attracting younger visitors associated with the sports event tourism market through presenting an image of Britain as a modern and youthful country—and giving them an experience that brings them back to Britain again and again throughout their lifetime, for leisure, education and business. Naturally enough, there is need for investment—and co-ordination between ourselves, Whitehall, the devolved administrations, Regional Development Agencies and Town Halls about the organisation of tourism promotion in aid of the industry.
4.4 The Olympic and Paralympic Games give Britain the opportunity of a lifetime for a lifetime of opportunity.VisitBritain is now building momentum in developing programmes for the 2012 Games to leave a lasting legacy for the UK visitor economy. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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5. VisitBritain’s Work to Maximise the Legacy of the Games for the Benefit of the Visitor—and the Wider—Economy 5.1 VisitBritain’s vision for the 2012 Games is that “the whole of the UK visitor economy benefits from the 2012 Games”, by working in partnership with both tourism and non-tourism partners to deliver the maximum tourism legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the whole of the UK. 5.2 Our objectives are three-fold, each of which will support the Government’s objectives in DCMS’ Winning: A tourism strategy for 2012 and beyond. — To maximise the economic benefits for tourism across the UK: Events: Use the 2012 Games as a platform to secure more sporting and business events, including Pre-Games Training Camps, throughout Britain, maximising their impact at a regional level. Industry engagement: Provide a platform for the industry to engage with the 2012 Games and reach domestic and international Games visitors. Commercial: Position visitbritain.com and its content as a one-stop shop for tourism information & products for the 2012 Games. International marketing: Deliver tactical marketing campaigns around the 2012 Games, inspiring international visitors to explore Britain and oVering a global marketing platform for VisitBritain’s key tourism partners. — To enhance the image of the UK as a visitor destination: Brand & partnerships: Align marketing with the 2012 Games to accelerate the development of the Britain brand and cost-eVectively extend the reach of the destination message through long-term partnerships with Olympic sponsors. Media: Use the heightened interest in Britain because of the 2012 Games to reach new customers and raise the destination’s profile in key target markets through global media and rights-holding broadcasters. Online Content: Integrate inspirational sporting and cultural content related to the Games, including the Cultural Olympiad and Torch Relay, into visitbritain.com to continually reinforce the Britain marketing message. — To deliver a world-class welcome to visitors in 2012 and beyond: Welcome: Work with partners across government and the tourism & hospitality industries to significantly improve the visitor experience throughout the customer journey and deliver a first- class welcome to all visitors to Britain for 2012 and beyond.
6. The Road to 2012 and our work so far
International Media Relations 6.1 Both London and Britain will receive an immense amount of media attention in the build up to 2012. This will be a unique chance to showcase a vibrant, socially-inclusive, quality-driven, united Britain to the world and it is essential that VisitBritain influences this media attention as much as possible, to ensure that the longer-term legacy of media coverage is one that is conducive to building the visitor economy. By working closely with the international media and rights-holding broadcasters, VisitBritain can enhance international awareness of Britain’s diverse tourism oVer. This media activity will include programmes for visiting journalists, provision of B-roll images, press kits, location guides and many other initiatives, including the development of specialist services and facilities for unaccredited media, the importance of which was highlighted during both the Atlanta and Sydney Games.
Marketing Opportunities 6.2 VisitBritain will be looking to leverage its association with the Games to enhance and diVerentiate its marketing activities and programmes before, during, and after 2012. Central to this will be a broad engagement with international & domestic sponsors of the 2012 Games.
Beijing 2008 6.3 One of the key milestones on the road to 2012 were the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. VisitBritain put together a comprehensive programme of activities at the Beijing Games, providing a platform for the Nations and Regions to showcase themselves to prospective Olympic & Paralympic teams as training camp venues, building key relationships with important stakeholders including broadcasters, the media and sponsors, and showcasing Britain to media around the Handover. A Welsh delegation was present as part of VisitBritain’s programme at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Cultural Olympiad 6.4 2008 marked the beginning of London’s Cultural Olympiad presenting a good opportunity for spreading the benefits of the Games throughout the nations and regions of Britain. Liverpool 08 provided VisitBritain with a platform to promote the launch of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Handover events as part of a wider domestic marketing campaign and media coverage encouraging people to take part in cultural activities. 6.5 VisitBritain has established good relationships with those responsible for devising and delivering the cultural programme for the Games to ensure synergy within our overall marketing strategy. We are currently in discussion with LOCOG about how we can add value to its plans by promoting the Cultural Olympiad to an international and domestic visitor audience.
Events 6.6 Having won the right to host the world’s greatest event, Britain can now leverage the successful 2012 Games bid to win more sporting and international events, conferences and conventions. These events could bring real tangible economic benefits to the nations and regions, as well as raising their international profile and positioning Britain as a world-class sporting destination. 6.7 VisitBritain’s event Britain team will work with the new event Wales team and support their work to win new business for Wales. Wales’ own Olympics—the Ryder Cup in 2010—will provide a huge opportunity to raise awareness and promote the country. VisitBritain will use our overseas network to give the same profile to Wales that we will do for London in 2012, and we will work with Visit Wales to provide B-roll and feed in PR and marketing messages into overseas media, especially in Wales’ key European markets and the USA. 6.8 In the run-up to the Beijing Games, VisitBritain delivered the oYcial London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp website on behalf of LOCOG, promoting the UK as a destination for training camps in the lead-up to 2012 and helping to spread the benefits of the Games throughout the UK. 6.9 Wales has already been confirmed as host of the pre-Games training camp for the Australian Paralympic team, and they are now in discussion with a number of other nations. The Committee may also wish to note that New Zealand are not only looking at locations for their pre-2012 Games training camp, but they are also looking to establish a long-term training base either in the UK or Europe that would also include preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
7. Conclusion We now have an excellent foundation on which to build and to deliver the legacy of the Games and the long-term growth of the visitor economy. An integral part of the development of VisitBritain’s strategy will be the engagement with industry in getting the maximum value for money by combining funding for common objectives. VisitBritain has extensive experience of working with public and private sector partners over many years to deliver joint marketing campaigns and this public/private partnership will provide the foundation for achieving a potential £2.9 billion legacy for the visitor economy across Britain from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. December 2008
Memorandum submitted by Wales Tourism Alliance The Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) is a pan-Wales umbrella group with member organisations from across Wales resting within its general membership. This amounts to around 7,000 operators and means WTA contacts and representatives are now found in every part of Wales. The WTA’s structure has also grown to accommodate its established role as the Voice of the Industry. A seven-person Executive now represents all regions and the key sectors of the industry and each year a well- attended annual conference debates and decides on key policy issues aVecting the industry. Thank you for requesting our views on this matter; please help develop the successful partnership the Committee enjoys with the industry in Wales by making sure we are able to support your work and contribute to any future consultations or inquiries that the Committee may instigate.
THE WELSH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE INQUIRY INTO THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE 2012 OLYMPICS AND PARALYMPICS FOR WALES The Olympic Games is the largest sporting event in the World. The bid and hosting of the event- and the Paralympics- has required the support of large sums of public sector funding and it is therefore essential that the games be delivered to maximum eVect and to provide the greatest legacy to resident populations. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Both Wales Tourism Alliance and The Wales OYcial Tour Guides Association (WOTGA) are very excited about the success of the 2012 Olympics/Paralympics bid and the opportunities that will arise from this success and we are keen that we deliver the best possible welcome and experience to our visitors. Whilst recognising that the majority of events will take place in London, WTA and WOTGA believe that it is important that benefits must also occur in Wales. Some elements are taking place in CardiV and we understand training camps may be established at some locations throughout Wales. It is hoped that the potential benefits of London hosting the Games will go far beyond the world of sport- for instance, that tourism and cultural industries have the opportunity to benefit from the additional international visitors attracted. However, Wales Tourism Alliance believes that, in reality, there is little evidence to suggest that anything like the level of benefits that will be delivered to the south east of England will materialise in Wales and that, in economic, business and image/status terms, events like the impending Ryder Cup in Newport, will have far more national and local consequence to Wales. Nevertheless, the industry in Wales would welcome any help that the Committee could engender to assist Wales and the tourism industry in Wales to maximise the presence of the Olympic Games in the UK. We would be more than prepared to play any part in assisting the Committee to achieve these ends for our industry.
Tourist Guides
Professional Tourist Guides are a natural resource to be utilised in capitalising on the potential of any major event. They are the natural interface between visitors and the local cultural and heritage product. The first ever professional tourist guides trained in Britain came about as a result of a requirement generated for the Festival of Britain in 1951. Since then the professional tourist guides of Britain have grown in strength and recognition, with Institute of Tourist Guiding qualifications becoming the model for many countries around the world. Training of professional guides specifically for London 2012 has been taking place for over two years. Whilst the content recognises that events will take place in various regions of the UK, the delivery takes place in and concentrates exclusively on London venues. WTA and Wales OYcial Tourist Guiding would like the Inquiry to consider the following: — The encouragement of a requirement for professional, trained, tourist guides to be attached all major events to be held in Wales (Olympics 2012, Ryder Cup 2010, Rugby Internationals, Football Internationals, Cricket Test Matches, National Eisteddfod etc.). — Dialogue between delivery agencies, governing bodies or cultural institutions, WTA and Wales OYcial Tourist Guides Association at the earliest possible opportunity, in order to maximise all opportunities and benefits associated with 2012. — The need to provide and fund additional training for current professional guides and/or the need to train additional guides for specific events. — Specific training that includes a “Wales element” for Olympics 2012; — Any additional and supportive actions to enhance the provisions relating to tourist guides that now reside within the VisitWales “Cultural Tourism Strategy”. — A media strategy to encourage those journalists who visit the UK to write background or supportive copy in the months and weeks around the Olympics to travel to Wales and not only operate within the immediate vicinity of London. WTA, our wider industry members and WOTGA looks forward to playing our part within all World Class events involving Wales. We would welcome being consulted within the development of any UK strategy for using major events to spread the income potential throughout Wales. The 2012 Olympic Games will provide a unique opportunity for Welsh sportsmen and women to compete for Olympic and Paralympic medals under the best possible conditions. It should be essential that the industry in Wales is fully fit for purpose to match the eVorts of these focussed sportspeople and enable Wales to experience a “gold medal” legacy from this and other major events. December 2008 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Memorandum submitted by the Welsh Assembly Government
Summary 1. The Welsh Assembly Government has put in place a structure and planning process aimed at ensuring that we maximise the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Wales and for Wales. A Wales Steering group chaired by Gareth Hall, Director of Economy & Transport, is engaged as part of a 2012 Nations and Regions Group infrastructure that includes Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the nine English Regions. This is the vital link into The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the Government Olympic Executive located in DCMS. 2. The Wales Steering Group for the 2012 Games includes representation from a range of key organisations in the public, private and third sectors. Secretariat and co-ordination across Government and with external stakeholders is provided by the Assembly Government’s Major Events Unit. 3. The Group has identified several key areas for action. They are: — Sport. — Business. — Skills & Education. — Tourism. — Volunteering. — Culture. These key areas can be summarised in three outcome areas on which the UK wide Nations and Regions Group has collectively agreed to focus. These are of equivalent importance: — Demonstrable economic benefit across the UK from hosting the 2012 Games. — Greater levels of engagement, inspiration and participation across the UK, leading to social and community development. — Increased levels of sporting participation and physical activity as a result of the Games. Issues around equality, diversity and sustainability will be mainstreamed across these outcome areas. 4. The following paragraphs describe in more detail the potential benefits in each of these areas, and the progress made by the Assembly Government and its partners in seeking to exploit the opportunities. This should be viewed in the context of an increasing diYcult financial climate, and, in particular, concerns about the reduction in Lottery funding Wales will experience as a consequence of the 2012 Games. Also, we have consistently made clear our view that elements of funding for the Games, such as that for regeneration, are comparable and that the Assembly Government should receive a consequential. We are in regular dialogue with the UK Government regarding the appropriate treatment of funding for the 2012 Games.
Sport 5. We will be working with our main sponsored body the Sports Council for Wales to explore opportunities to use the 2012 Games as a vehicle to engage key partners to promote opportunities within existing programmes as well as explore opportunities for new activities. 6. Dragon Sport which is provided for junior school age children and 5x60 which is provided for secondary school children by the Sports Council for Wales are the current programmes which oVer the key opportunities for celebrating and promoting the 2012 Games. 7. We are also exploring how we can encourage more community based activities in particular for adults leading up to the 2012 Games which will be linked to the Action Plan on Physical Activity which will be published by the Welsh Assembly Government in the spring of 2009. 8. We will use the review of the Coaching Plan for Wales to look at developing programmes to enhance the number of trained volunteers who can support the work of sports clubs at local level. 9. We are working with education oYcials to explore how the community and voluntary elements of the Learning Pathways 14–19 can oVer more opportunities for young people to take up coach training and development opportunities. 10. It is clear that the use of successful role models in sport can encourage the take up of sport and physical activity opportunities within communities. Evidence has shown that the use of these role models within a one oV activity has very little impact on long term participation. We are currently therefore exploring options as to how these role models can be used in a way which underpins sustained longer term activity by children and adults. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Pre-Games Training Camps
11. Pre-Games Training camps provide the opportunity to raise the profile of the 2012 Games in Wales and the profile of Wales in the World through sustainable sporting, cultural and economic relationships with those countries that come to Wales. Wales has some excellent sporting facilities, 31 of which have secured LOCOG accreditation as potential training camps. The 300 strong Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) has committed to come to Wales in the lead up to the 2012 Games. Some of the potential benefits are described below. — While no economic impact studies have thus far been produced, We know that the British Olympic Association (BOA) directly invested c£1 million in its preparation camp infrastructure on the Gold Coast prior to the Sydney 2000 Games increasing to almost £1.5 million in Macau prior to Beijing 2008. — Hosting visiting teams will bring the London Games to Wales where local communities can experience engagement with Olympic and Paralympic athletes and coaches. Welsh athletes, coaches and schoolchildren will have the opportunity to interact and learn from international athletes and coaches. — In providing a positive pre Games experience, Wales would strongly position itself as a destination for visiting teams to prepare for any future events in the UK and Western Europe, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. 12. To maximise these opportunities, the Welsh Assembly Government has appointed a dedicated Pre Games Training Camp Manager with extensive experience in high performance sport, including close involvement in the BOA preparation camps for the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Games.
Business
13. London’s successful bid for the 2012 Games was predicated on establishing mechanisms to provide opportunities for businesses across the UK to benefit from business opportunities emanating from the substantial spend to be incurred by the ODA and LOCOG, currently estimated to be in excess of £6.6 billion of procurement opportunity and circa 50,000 contracts in the supply chain. Both those bodies have stated their intent to support eVorts which would open up such supply chain opportunities—between them they, their delivery partners and subcontractors are and will be issuing contracts for goods and services associated with the Games covering an extremely wide and diverse range of sectors including construction, the provision of sporting equipment and catering. 14. The London 2012 web-site acts as a portal to the London 2012 Business Network and an interactive set of pages branded as CompeteFor. The Assembly Government is contributing £75k a year for three years, with an additional £75k available annually subject to performance, to ensure Welsh companies have the opportunity to compete for business. CompeteFor contains details of all contract opportunities as they are published by the ODA and LOCOG (Tier 1), together with a proportion of opportunities through the supply chain tiers. This initiative represents an opening up of Olympic supply chain opportunities in a way which far exceeds what has been achieved by previous host cities/nations. 15. Overseas businesses are also able to register but will receive none of the business support that is being oVered to UK companies. UKTI vet those overseas companies who do register and conduct follow up contact to identify potential inward investment leads. 16. To date 952 Welsh based businesses have registered on the CompeteFor website, 446 businesses have published their profiles—47%—which is the highest percentage from the Regions and Nations. 17. Four companies or organisations from Wales have already won work supplying the ODA, all of them small and medium size. Many more have been supplying the ODA’s contractors such as Rhino Doors who have won a contract to provide security doors for the Olympic Park construction site, Total CDM Solutions who won a contract to act as a sub-consultant to the company designing the London 2012 Aquatics Centre and Fairfield Mabey who are supplying steel bridges for the Olympic Park. 18. In November 2008 eleven Welsh based businesses were short listed for contracts which range from the provision of flooring to roller doors. The businesses are based from across Wales, from Pembrokeshire to Conwy. 19. One of the ongoing diYculties is that of identifying all those Welsh companies involved in the Games project below the Tier One level. There is currently no database of the supply chain available and companies at all levels are also required to observe no marketing rights clauses in their contractual agreements. This severely restricts their freedom to publicise their involvement in the Games and the Assembly Government in turn can only publicise a limited number of company “case studies” with London 2012’s agreement. In this context, it is diYcult to make a comprehensive analysis of the engagement of Welsh businesses with the Games project. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Skills &Education 20. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to realising the opportunities presented by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote learning and skills development. This includes continuing to develop eVective linkages between excellence in sport and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. We will use the build up to and hosting of the 2012 Games to inspire individuals and promote learning in a range of education and training settings. In particular the Games can promote positive attitudes towards global citizenship and sustainable development, healthy and active lifestyles, language learning and entrepreneurship. The Games will also complement ongoing work to improve skills and employability. 21. We are developing and implementing a programme of action. This draws on previous. For example, we are currently working with BBC Wales in the delivery of “Raise Your Game”. The initiative is fronted by Colin Jackson and highlights the determination needed by sportsmen and sportswomen to achieve their goals and ambitions and how their experience can be applied to overcoming obstacles in learning. Contributors include members of Six Nations rugby teams, Ryan Giggs and Dame Tanni Grey Thompson. Raise your Game is targeted particularly at young people aged 14–25 including those not in education, training or employment—or at risk of becoming so. It also involves those who can mediate learning and development on their behalf. 22. Links have been established with the Education Team within the London Organising Committee for the Games (LOCOG). In addition, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills has representation on the Wales Steering Group for the 2012 Games. 23. Early products of partnership working include the development of the On Your Marks education materials for use in schools in Wales. Produced bilingually On Your Marks uses themes associated with the Olympics and its underpinning values of respect, excellence and friendship to provide resources to support a range of cross curricular teaching in primary and secondary schools. 24. The materials provide a good example of sporting excellence being used in a range of contexts to the benefit of learners in Wales. Other initiatives in collaboration with LOCOG have included a project targeted at schools that challenge pupils in using their design and technology skills to consider aspects of the development of new facilities for sports including cycling. We have also sought to make best use of the success of Welsh athletes at Beijing. This includes visits by medal winners in the Paralympic Games to primary schools in Wales to set out their experience of learning including dealing with issues such as bullying. 25. We want to ensure that activity in Wales builds on best practice from across the UK. This includes contributing to the development and use by schools and young people in Wales of the “Get Set” interactive section of the London 2012 website. The site which is in development provides a focus for learning providers and young people to access learning resources to support the teaching of themes such as citizenship, healthy and active living, culture and creativity and enterprise. 26. We will ensure that there are eVective linkages with parallel programmes that impact on education and training including the Cultural Olympiad. A key theme running through this work will lie in a coordinated and eVective approach to use of leading figures in specific Olympic and Paralympic disciplines to inspire and motivate learners. It is anticipated that the planning for this next phase will be complete by April 2009.
Tourism 27. In 2007, Wales attracted 8.85 million UK staying visitors and 987,000 overseas visitors which generated a gross spend of £1,757 million. An estimated 75,843 full time equivalent jobs were supported directly or indirectly in 2006 according to the Tourism Impact and Planning Model for Wales. 28. An Oxford Economics report commissioned for Visit Britain and Visit London in 2007 has quantified the potential contribution of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to UK tourism over the period 2007 to 2017. With allowances for displacement eVects, the contribution is £2.09 billion for the UK, including £1.47 billion for London with 30% of the benefits generated outside London. 29. The key question is what proportion of these £620 million gains will directly benefit Wales. There are a number of factors which indicate that Wales could potentially benefit at greater level than its proportion of the UK population would suggest: — The impact of the Ryder Cup held in 2010, the third most popular world sporting event in terms of media coverage will already have raised the profile of Wales as a potential destination and Wales should still be benefiting from the legacy eVect. — The use of the Millennium Stadium as a venue for eight football events. — The relative proximity of CardiV to London with timetabled two hour journey times. — CardiV’s growing reputation as a centre for sport as a result of the FA Cup Finals, the Rugby World Cup etc. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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— Wales’ disproportionate high share of Olympic and Paralympic medal winners relative to its population in Beijing. — The Australian Paralympic Committee’s choice of Wales as its Pre-Games Training Camp will raise Wales’ profile in one of our key markets, and will ensure that Australia will be looking for opportunities to participate in competitive events in the lead up to 2012. 30. The Welsh Assembly Government will be seeking to exploit the opportunities around the Millennium Stadium’s role as an Olympic venue in our tourism marketing-plans for 2011 and 2012.
Volunteering
Pre-Games volunteering and skills programme 31. The Assembly Government is currently considering the potential benefits of mounting a Pre-Games volunteering and skills programme in Wales, based on the “Personal Best” pilot programme that has been running in 11 London boroughs since early 2007. “Personal Best” aims to: — Use the Games as a motivator to enable people who would otherwise not have the skills to volunteer to have the chance to become Games-time volunteers, whilst also moving them nearer to the labour market; — provide accredited training, backed by support into more training, volunteering opportunities or a job; — target individuals from the most disadvantaged communities, eg unemployed, disabled people, people on incapacity benefit, lone parents, young people NEET, BME groups, ex-oVenders; and — help people to gain what for most is their first ever qualification. 32. Assembly Government Ministers are considering the case for mounting a programme in Wales, and the funding options. 33. A key factor in whether the Assembly Government proceeds with a programme is whether it would make a suYciently clear, measurable impact in helping to deliver the “One Wales” commitments, and other sector specific strategies.
Games time volunteering 34. Up to 70,000 volunteers will be needed to help with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. LOCOG has given a commitment that these volunteers will be recruited from across the UK, as well as from London, and from a range of communities and backgrounds. There will be two kinds of Games volunteer— specialist and generalist volunteers, but all will be expected to attend training events that will give them the knowledge they need to carry out their role. 35. The Welsh Assembly Government is aiming to use the 2012 volunteer programme to help boost the recruitment and training of volunteers across Wales, especially in communities of greatest need. We believe that by encouraging as many Welsh volunteers as possible to contribute to the successful hosting of the Olympics and Paralympics, we can inspire them to continue volunteering long afterwards. This will have long-term benefits, both for the individuals and for the communities in which they volunteer.
Culture
The Cultural Olympiad: Legacy Trust projects 36. Each of the 12 Nations and Regions of the UK are participating in the Cultural Olympiad and have a Creative Programmer whose duties include curating a programme of cultural activities associated with the 2012 Games over the next four years. The Creative Programmer in Wales is Gwyn L Williams, former Director of the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod. Gwyn’s post is jointly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government. 37. Wales’ programme for the Cultural Olympiad—Power of the Flame—provides opportunities to further raise awareness of Wales through the innovative programmes that are being funded by £1.67 million from the Legacy Trust. Working with partners such as the Urdd and Valleys Kids, the Power of the Flame will engage up to 1.5 million young people across Wales. — Cauldrons and Furnaces will provide up to 36 jobs for artists in Wales. Each artist will work at one of eight sites being provided by CADW and each site will accumulate artists during the life of the project. The artists will work in schools and in community groups throughout Wales. Visit Wales will host the web-site associated with Cauldrons and Furnaces. This site will allow children and artists to compare and share work as they develop their installations. There is an ambition that children working on a project in (say) Caemarfon will visit a counterpart project in (say) Blaenavon. This develops a movement of young people from North to South and vice-versa thereby increasing their knowledge of Wales as a geographical entity. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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In 2012 each of the eight CADW sites will unveil an installation which will have been created by the children of Wales (around 800 per site over four years). Each site will host performances over one weekend in the summer of 2012 attracting visitors into eight areas of Wales—Harlech, Caernarfon, Denbigh, Flint, Blaenavon, Caerphilly, Laugharne, St David’s Bishop Palace. — Kindling Talent is the second project that will have an impact on artists and business in Wales. This is part of a major project which is being undertaken by Valleys Kids with partners in South Africa and will provide opportunities for theatre, music and drama practitioners in the South Wales area. — Prometheus is a project for disabled young people and will develop skills of artistry, performance and expression in this community throughout Wales. It will also allow the use of technology to facilitate performances. — Following the Flame is a major exhibition project which will investigate and record the successes of Welsh Olympians and Paralympians during the 20th and 21st centuries. It will include an oral history project to be undertaken by young people all over Wales as they discover their Olympic heritage. 38. The development of skills is a major theme that runs through the four constituent parts of the Power of the Flame. 39. We are also hopeful that there will be wider additional opportunities for Wales to host and contribute to other significant elements of the Cultural Olympiad at the UK level and during Games time. For example there is a commitment that the Olympic Torch Relay will visit all parts of the UK including Wales. Additionally, LOCOG is aware of our specific request that the Relay be scheduled in a way that allows it to visit the Urdd National Eisteddfod in 2012. This will be the largest event in North Wales in that year. 40. We are also encouraged that LOCOG’s Head of Ceremonies, Martin Green, has committed to hosting two “creative conversations” in Wales as part of a UK wide exercise designed to map the architecture and ambition of the Games ceremonies. December 2008
Memorandum submitted by Welsh Local Government Association
1. Introduction 1.1 The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) represents the 22 local authorities in Wales, and the three national park authorities, the three fire and rescue authorities, and four police authorities are associate members. 1.2 It seeks to provide representation to local authorities within an emerging policy framework that satisfies the key priorities of our members and delivers a broad range of services that add value to Welsh Local Government and the communities they serve. 1.3 The WLGA is pleased to be given this opportunity to provide evidence to the Welsh AVairs Committee’s inquiry into the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales. 1.4 It is early days in terms of realising the full benefits to Wales and the jury is still out on whether the London 2012 Olympics and its various opportunities will out-deliver on the cuts felt in Wales to lottery funding to sport, culture and heritage funds (estimated at a total loss of funding to Wales of £73 million until 2012). The feeling on the ground is that we will continue to “pay” for the games for many years after the event, and that the top slicing of the current lottery pot will have a longer eVect than originally believed. 1.5 Local authorities in Wales have yet to see substantial and suYciently concrete opportunities to take advantage of, and haven’t yet seen a dedicated attempt on behalf of LOCOG and the DCMS to ensure the legacy of the 2012 Games is felt across the UK, rather than mainly in London and the South East. In times, of financial uncertainty, and local authority settlement increases lower than inflation it is more important than ever that the much talked about legacy is achieved. 1.6 However, local authorities in Wales have the potential to be key players in many of the potentially beneficial aspects that could emerge from the Olympics Games being held in London in 2012. There is an opportunity for a sporting legacy, particularly in successfully engaging our children and young people with a renewed interest in sport and physical activity.However, the impacts could also be much more far-reaching, with opportunities for cultural activities, increased tourism, educational experiences and economic successes for our domestic SME’s. 1.7 The Welsh Local Government Association is committed to exploring ways of supporting our local authorities to access this wide range of potential benefits. We have appointed a dedicated London 2012 coordinator to ensure that the flow of information between local authorities and central government is robust. We are creating a London 2012 newsletter which will be sent out quarterly to the Welsh local authorities, and we are aiming to identify a single point of contact at each local authority with responsibility Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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for joining up the relevant opportunities available. We feed through comments through England’s LGA to the Nations and Regions Group and hold regular meetings with our counterparts in the other three UK LGA’s to share best practice and to develop ideas for joint working and shared benefits.
2. The Potential for Developing Sporting Excellence in Wales 2.1 Delivering sporting excellence is primarily a matter for the Sports Council for Wales and the governing bodies, and not local authorities per se. However, local authorities play an important role in the first steps of getting young people and adults interested in sport and physical activity. 2.2 Sporting excellence in Wales and the support for elite sports performers will receive benefits in the lead up to the London Olympics, but it is getting the balance right between grass roots sport and sport at the highest levels that is critical, when remembering that all elite sports performers start at a community level. 2.3 As a result of the Games in four years time, there is a real opportunity to elevate sport in schools and communities over the next four years, and to ensure that the interest created during the 2008 Olympics, the so-called “Beijing eVect” is fully explored and exploited. The London 2012 Games may be of benefit in terms of getting young people inspired by the profile and opportunity oVered by the London 2012 Games and the hopeful success of Team GB. 2.4 Hosting the 2012 games does provide the whole of the UK with the opportunity to market sport and physical activity, however, the marketing and branding constraints (even at a community level) are making it diYcult to take maximum advantage of the hosting of the games. 2.5 There is already anecdotal evidence from local authorities of increases in cycling club membership and road/mountain biking activity following the Beijing 2008 Olympics for example. However, that increase in participation tends to be very adhoc in nature and there is no specific strategy in place to make the most of the interest generated. It is highly unlikely that we will see any additional resources in this current financial climate to assist with this. 2.6 Olympic sporting events in Wales—Wales will only host a few Olympic football matches at the Millennium stadium, culminating with a quarter final game. Unfortunately this is unlikely to create a real legacy or an opportunity for Wales to be seen as a core region delivering for the Games. 2.7 The Olympic Delivery Authority has flatly refused to locate any further Olympic events into Wales other than soccer at Millennium Stadium. Despite the well-known financial issues, it is still proposed that a brand new canoe slalom facility for a cost of £35 million will be built in Broxbourne when there will be an Olympic standard course available in CardiV by 2010. 2.8 Similarly, a temporary facility for mountain biking is to be built in Essex at a significant cost, when small adaptations to existing mountain biking facilities in Neath Port Talbot could provide the necessary world-class provision for the Games at a fraction of the cost. Both these provisions would be less than 2.5 hours away from London. Wales has the natural resources and the facilities to host events such as canoeing and mountain biking, and this could provide us with a great legacy, with improved “natural” facilities. It would also save the tax payer money! 2.9 Increasing participation—The London 2012 Games can be used as a catalyst on a local level to engage more people, particularly young people in physical activity at the participation level. 2.10 Local authorities across Wales aim to encourage more people to be more active more often and improve our performance against the 5x30 and 5x60 physical activity targets as set out in Climbing Higher— the physical activity and sport strategy for Wales. 2.11 One example of this is the “Going for Gold” programme which is a partnership between Newport City Council and the Local Health Board to increase physical activity. Participants achieve bronze, silver and gold incentive prizes for participation and the programme name and concept came from trying to maximise the benefits of London 2012. 2.12 Newport City Council have also used the London 2012 event to encourage participation events for young people and celebrated the flag handover during the summer with an athletics event for young people which was the culmination of community events run throughout the summer. Their aim is to increase participation to improve health and also to widen the pyramid of young people who may then wish to progress to clubs and improvement, elite structures. 2.13 Facilities—Local authorities in Wales would hope that London 2012 would result in prioritisation of funding for enhancing/maintaining the sporting infrastructure available which has deteriorated across the country due to lack of investment and a relatively low priority given to sport and leisure as a non- statutory service. 2.14 We are fortunate in having some fantastic, world-class facilities in Wales such as the Wales National Velodrome and the International Swimming Pools in Swansea and CardiV but we need to ensure ongoing investment in the fabric of such facilities and look to improve provision across Wales. This is becoming increasingly diYcult in light of the current financial climate for local authorities in Wales, particularly in light of the recently announced financial settlement for 2009–10. Leisure is a discretionary service and is feeling the budget squeeze more than almost any other public service as a result. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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2.15 Benefits of training camps and success in specific sports—The GB success in cycling has provided greater interest in the sport and greater demand for provision. There does however need to be an investment in coach education to ensure that there are enough coaches to be able to meet the increased demand for those successful sports or otherwise the interest gained in participation will quickly be lost if the demand cannot be met. 2.16 Hosting training camps will build capacity in Wales to host world class teams and we would be looking for ongoing relationships with governing bodies based in Newport. For example, the holding of the cycling team training camp in Newport prior to the Beijing Olympics has led to stronger links with British Cycling. The training camps, if accessible to young people, can also enable young sportspeople to see world class athletes in action. 2.17 Ultimately, whilst we can use the games to meet our own objectives through reprioritising budgets major benefits will only come from investment. We also acknowledge that there will be significant competition between areas in the UK to gain the potential benefits. 2.18 Wales was the first nation/region to sign a contract with another nation’s athlete squad to set-up a pre-games training camp in the UK and we are delighted that the Australian Paralympic team will be utilising our facilities to prepare for London 2012. 2.19 There are fantastic opportunities here too in terms of economic benefits to Wales and also to engage with the Paralympic movement. For example, the Australian Paralympic team’s education programme includes 1,400 primary schools which could link with every primary school here in Wales. 2.20 With the Beijing 2008 Olympics now becoming a distant memory, the attention of the various competing nations is now turning to the future in earnest to the London 2012 Games, with serious consideration given to where they might locate their training camps in the two to three years prior to the games. 2.21 Wales is working hard to attract various nations and local authorities in Wales are happy to assist in any way they can to ensure we gain full benefit from this exciting opportunity. Local authorities are responsible for a large number of the 31 accredited sites on the oYcial LOCOG list of suitable locations and are keen to use any links and contacts to attract countries to prepare here. They are also keen to work with the Welsh Assembly to look at their individual marketing opportunities, particularly the more sport specific venues in Mid and North Wales. 2.22 However, it is imperative that a coordinated and planned approach is taken so that we know how many training camps Wales can attract and cope with. We must take care to ensure that the capacity of the facilities is not over-subscribed resulting in local people or British athletes unable to make use of their training sites.
3. The Potential Educational Benefits in Wales 3.1 There will be excellent opportunities to develop links with countries who will establish training camps in Wales. For example, the Australian Palalympic squad has a strong education programme attached to their activities and there are opportunities here for each primary school in Wales to twin with a primary school in Australia in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. 3.2 The UK School Games will be held in Wales in 2009 and will provide opportunities for over 2,000 competitors from across the UK to take part in a range of diVerent sports including cycling, swimming, judo, fencing, athletics and gymnastics. The UK School Games is a multi-sport event for the nation’s most talented school age athletes. Launched last year in Glasgow, they will be held every year until 2012 and are designed to replicate the feel of events like the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, with opening and closing ceremonies and athletes’ villages. 3.3 The event will cost £3.5 million to host, and is funded through the Legacy Trust, the Welsh Assembly Government and a partnership of CardiV, Swansea and Newport City Councils. This is the only example of a successful joint bid between cities and local authorities in hosting the school games, and this clearly demonstrates the willingness of local authorities in Wales to work collaboratively to share benefits and enhance the opportunities available. 3.4 Although UK School Games is about excellence at school age and seeks to replicate in some respects a major multi-sport games like 2012. However, there is little evidence emerging of it achieving a legacy of school-based competitive sport in Wales in the longer term. Funding is a key issue here as it simply isn’t sustainable without adequate funding. 3.5 In Wales, local authorities are already working closely with the Sports Council of Wales on delivering strong, core-funded programmes which are aimed at increasing participation in sport and physical activity in our primary and secondary schools. 3.6 The PESS (Physical Education in Secondary Schools) scheme, Dragon Sport and 5x60 all contribute to this aim. The London 2012 Games will provide impetus and generate renewed interest in sport and physical activity, and these programmes could be developed and adapted to make full use of this. Changes could include the addition of opportunities to try out new sports as part of the schemes, which would reflect those sports which are part of the Olympic Games. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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3.7 Welsh local authorities also deliver the free swimming initiative in Wales, and we are currently in discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government regarding the delivery of the initiative from 2010. There could be opportunities as part of the development of the Free Swimming Initiative to provide more opportunities for young people and children under 16 to take part in other sports and activities, or to access funding to support coach development to work with clubs and groups to increase membership and performance. 3.8 There may well be opportunities for private sponsorship to support the roll-out of the schemes mentioned above, or new schemes, relating directly to the London 2012 Games. This is already being explored at a UK level at the Nations and Regions Group and is an option that needs to be explored fully in collaboration with local authorities across the UK. 3.9 The London 2012 “Get Set” website provides young people in every school and college across the UK with the opportunity to get involved in the 2012 Games. There is a need to promote this website to schools and colleges to encourage them to sign up to the site and to explore what is on oVer and how they can become involved. The take up is relatively low in Wales at the moment, and local authorities are keen to work with DCELLS to promote this opportunity further. 3.10 The Welsh Assembly Government is currently funding a study and programme of work to capitalise on the opportunities to promote education and training provided by the London 2012 Olympics. The study aims to identify current good practice in other areas of the UK; consider the potential for any current DCELLS programmes/initiatives to capitalise on London 2012 opportunities and to identify linkages with wider programmes being promoted by the Welsh Assembly Government and its partners in Wales. The WLGA has contributed to this study and looks forward to working with the Assembly Government to drive this agenda forward within education. 3.11 The use of sport to engage and inspire children and young people is not new, and there has been some success through programmes such as “Play for Success” using football and rugby. The learning is delivered through sport, for example the use of scoring systems, pitch and play area sizes are used to deliver maths. This can only be sustained into the long term via sustained funding, high level of support from the LEA and teachers, with delivery as part of the normal curriculum and in school settings. In addition success is more likely if high profile clubs and teams can be encouraged to support the programmes.
4. The likely Impact on Tourism and other Businesses in Wales 4.1 Wales will be welcoming some world class sporting events in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics including Test Match Cricket in 2009 and Ryder Cup 2010. Both these events will provide an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Wales to the World. Local authorities are keen to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure these benefits can be realised. 4.2 Wales stands to gain a lot from tourism and particularly cultural tourism as a result of these high- calibre sporting events coming to Wales, and we will need to ensure that showcasing Wales and Welsh culture is a high priority in the lead up to 2012 too. 4.3 Ultimately, we will only get a direct positive impact on tourism during 2012 if we have Olympic events here in Wales, in addition to the football. We do of course stand to gain some visitors for training camps in the lead-up to the event, but the main opportunity is likely to have minimal eVect in the short term. 4.4 Post-Games tourism can take up to nine years to maximise, and by working in collaboration across local authorities and with key departments within the Welsh Assembly Government, particularly Visit Wales, there are opportunities for Welsh tourism businesses. 4.5 There are some real business opportunities available for Welsh businesses, and with a small cost or existing investment, these could be realised. £9 billion worth of contracts will be available for businesses as a result of the London 2012 Games, with £6 billion being directly procured by ODA and LOCOG. 4.6 The 2012 Business Network and the Compete For registration system allows any business to gain access to these opportunities. However, much of these substantial contracts will be won by large, multi- national companies, and the opportunities for domestic SME’s will be as part of the supply chain, and the many sub-contracts which will become available as a result. 4.7 To date over 750 companies from Wales have registered on the Compete For database. However, there is a need for supply chain coordination activity and designated support at a national level to identify business opportunities and to broker joint ventures as necessary. 4.8 Undoubtedly there are opportunities available, and local authorities in Wales would welcome opportunities to work with the Welsh Assembly Government in getting the message across to the business community in a meaningful way. 18 December 2008 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Memorandum submitted by the Welsh Sports Association The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) was established in 1972 as an independent body to support and represent the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport and physical recreation in Wales. It acts in the national and international interests of all Welsh NGBs, from archery to yachting, and is actively involved with its governing body members in promoting a range of initiatives and good practice in areas such as equality and diversity, child protection and risk management. With regards to the terms of reference, we do not feel qualified to comment on the potential educational benefits in Wales or the likely impact on tourism and other businesses on Wales so will restrict our representations to the potential for developing sporting excellence in Wales.
1. Looking forward to 2012 We consider that following the successes in Beijing and the run up to London 2012, there should be an upsurge in interest in sport in Wales which should be harnessed and built on for the future. Getting more people playing sport was a key factor in helping London win the right to host the 2012 Olympics. Whilst there is clearly going to be concentration on Olympic sports, we must not ignore our non –Olympic sports and must give support to these. We are concerned to learn that there has been a reduction of approximately £2 million a year on lottery money coming to Welsh sport up to 2012. Consideration must be given to making up this money from other sources. It is interesting to note that Sport England announced on 17 December that £480 million would be given to 46 sports over the period 2009–13 in grass roots funding. Coaching is a key element both at grass roots and at elite level. Wales is working to improve the level of coaches within the UKSC.However Governing bodies are encountering some diYculties in recruiting applicants particularly at Level 2 and above. Most of the Governing Body coaches in Wales are volunteers and the time commitment together with some financial constraints associated with the higher levels discourage many potential coaches.
2. The Event Itself It seems that there will be limited involvement in Wales with possibly only football at the Millennium Stadium. There may be training camps in Wales but we feel there might be the perception of a huge investment in London to the detriment of Wales. There is a risk of a possible lack of involvement in Wales.
3. The Effect of the Games Hopefully there will be a huge interest in taking up sport as a result of the Olympic Games. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to introduce people to sport and it should not be missed. There seems to be a risk that (a) facilities and (b) volunteers will not be available to satisfy this surge of interest. With regard to facilities: — There is going to be a reduction in capital spending over the next four years as a result of reduced lottery grant money. It will be a great shame if people, especially children, want to take up sport but because of a lack of readily available and accessible facilities are unable to do so. We think that there should be an immediate audit of facilities in Wales and there should then be a planned development over the next four years to fill in the gaps. — Consideration should be given to linking schools and communities so that, for example, school facilities can be used by the public out of school hours and coaches from Clubs should help in Schools to spot talent and give elite training. There should be a two-way link between schools and sports clubs in every area. This will need to be structured and will require additional funding. — Pressure needs to be brought on Local Authorities to make realistic charges to local sports clubs for use of their facilities. It appears that some local authorities see this as a way of making money to the detriment of Welsh sport. — The facilities should obviously be available to the elite athletes in preparation for the Olympics but consideration should also be given to grassroots sportspersons who may be the stars of tomorrow. As to volunteers: — There is a concern in nearly all sports as to the dearth of volunteers who presently come forward to assist. This is going to be an increasing problem, when more will be required, but the disincentives will increase. — There is a lack of training opportunities in Colleges in Wales for volunteers and in particular funding in Wales is much lower than it is in England. Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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— There is a problem with CRB searches, on occasions the same process has to be undertaken on many occasions by a coach when one portable CRB check would be so much more sensible. — The introduction of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) next year is likely to further discourage volunteers as there will then be a risk of a fine or imprisonment for individuals involved in sport administration. — The risk of litigation, such as referees being sued, does not help. — It will be vital that there is good governance in NGBs and they are properly trained to minimise these risks. December 2008
Supplementary memorandum submitted by Leuan Wyn Jones AM, Deputy First Minister, Welsh Assembly Government I can advise that whilst no Welsh businesses have won contracts via the CompeteFor website, some have won contracts through the Tier 1 contractors, namely: 1. Rhino Engineering—a six figure contract to manufacture bespoke doors for a service tunnel. 2. Rowecord Holdings (Newport)—a sub contract to Balfour Beatty to supply steel for the Acquatic centre, believed to be £10 million!. 3. Fairfield Mabey, Chepstow—pre fabricated steel bridges for the Olympic Park, believed to be £10 million!. 4. Total CDM Solutions, Cardigan—a H&S sub consultant to the company designing the Acquatic Centre, value unknown. 5. Bluebay, CardiV—supply of specialist building materials to a Tier 1 contractor, believed to be £100k. As there is no database of the 2012 supply chain it is not possible to identify definitively what Welsh companies are picking up Games related contracts or their exact value. The examples listed above are simply those we are aware of but there may be others. I do hope this information is of value to your Committee. April 2009
Supplementary memorandum submitted by Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister for Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government
TOURISM AND THE PROMOTION OF WALES THE 2012 GAMES AND THE RYDER CUP Additional Evidence to the Welsh AVairs Committee’s inquiry into the potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Wales.
Major Events Major events capture the imagination of millions of people around the world and it is widely accepted that they support economic growth and raise the international profile of the host destination. There is also a growing recognition that major events have the power to unite, inspire and engage people and communities from all walks of life. In doing so, they help to enhance social, environmental and cultural wellbeing. In recent years, Wales has responded well to the opportunities and challenges of hosting major events. A key factor in our recent success in attracting and delivering major international events such as the Rugby World Cup, FA Cup, Wales Rally GB and the Ryder Cup has been a collective Team Wales approach, bringing together the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, its main cultural and economic agencies, local authorities and sports governing bodies. The success of these major collaborative eVorts provides a sound platform on which to build for the future. Despite these successes, there is a strong sense that we need to raise our game if Wales is to become a major player in an increasingly competitive global market. Until now, there has been no coherent structure to plan the optimum events portfolio for Wales, or to maximise the benefits and return on investment from the events that we support. To develop and sustain a portfolio of events that maximises the benefits to Wales, there has to be a clearer sense of purpose and direction to, and more co-ordinated eVort across, all major events activity in Wales. For the future, the Welsh Assembly Government aims to lead a more coordinated and cohesive approach, by putting in place a robust strategic framework which will harness the skills, knowledge and expertise of all organisations involved in major events to deliver a sustainable economic, social, environmental and cultural Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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legacy for the people of Wales, and better value for the Welsh pound. We have already taken a significant step forward with the establishment of a dedicated Major Events Unit (MEU), reporting to the Deputy First Minister, to lead the drive for a more joined-up approach. Following the establishment of the MEU work is now underway on the development of a Major Events Strategy for Wales.
2012 Games and Ryder Cup 2010 The Welsh Assembly Government is aware of the potential of maximising our visitor numbers on the back of the 2012 Olympics and 2010 Ryder Cup. Visit Britain is leading on the 2012 strategy for the UK in partnership with the tourism agencies in the Nations and Regions. Our Major Events Unit has facilitated Visit Wales’s engagement with that work and discussion is currently focussed on the development of a “Tourism Opportunities Network”. Some work has been done to try to forecast the increased number of visitors that may come to Wales in the wake of the 2012 games. The figures are not that promising and in reality we do not expect a great influx of visitors to Wales. People coming to the Olympics will concentrate on that event and we know that those coming to London very often go to specific destinations, usually connected with two or three landmark places in England or further abroad. Wales does not benefit a great deal from the types of international visitors that fly into London. It is important to point out that the tourism potential of events is not limited to the period of the event itself. We need to consider pre event tourism eg golf and the Ryder Cup and post event potential through increased awareness of Wales and its tourism assets.
Visit Wales and Ryder Cup 2010 Although we will attempt to maximise any potential increase in numbers arising from 2012, the Ryder Cup year is the big year for us to begin with. That event is truly important to market Wales worldwide—it will be Wales’ own Olympics. Our success at hosting that event should position us better to receive 2012 visitors. If we can get the name and the image of Wales and what we can oVer out to a wide audience in America and the continent, Wales will ultimately benefit, be that from the 2012 Olympics or otherwise. The Welsh Assembly Government provides funding of £3.5 million annually to Ryder Cup 2010 Wales Ltd to fulfill Wales’s commitments to the successful bid to host the event. A proportion of that funding is used in marketing and PR related activity. Visit Wales has appointed a lead creative agency to create a branding strategy for the Ryder Cup. The aim is to build a reputation of Wales, to create a sense of place for Wales surrounding the Ryder Cup—both on and oV the course, for spectators at the event and to those watching on the TV. It should also create a sense of occasion for the people of Wales that a major golf tournament is taking place in Wales. A golf tourism toolkit was produced in 2008. The toolkit will be a comprehensive publication designed to oVer the golf trade practical advice on key issues in order for the trade to enhance and develop a successful golf tourism business. Golf clubs are encouraged to consider clustering with other clubs and accommodation providers for eVective marketing. Although Visit Wales cluster funding was not available in 2007–08, clusters previously funded by Visit Wales have continued to be successful. 2008 saw an increase in non-Visit Wales funded clusters packages and products. All clusters and packages have been and will continue to be promoted by Visit Wales. Visit Wales’s Golf Tourism Strategy for Wales sets out a vision for Wales to be recognised as an established golf destination, attracting high spending golfers from target markets throughout the world. In 2008–09 Visit Wales spent £800,000 on its “Golf as it should be” campaign which benefits strongly from association with the Ryder Cup. Since 2003 that campaign has helped to boost the number of dedicated staying golf visitors from around 30,000 to around 87,000 in 2007. In the USA, Visit Wales entered into marketing partnerships with Visit Britain (www.acartacrosswales.com), The Golf Channel, Golf Digest and the American Express Publishing Group (including Travel and Leisure and Travel and Leisure Golf). That campaign generated over 400,000 unique visitors to the dedicated campaign site. In line with the strategic objectives of the Golf Tourism Strategy and subject to budgets, Visit Wales will in 2009–10: Improve on ROI; Continue to raise the profile of Wales as a golf tourism destination and to deliver the Wales brand through an integrated marketing and promotional plan in key target markets including: TV and press advertising, direct marketing, emarketing. (Ongoing.) Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [O] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Continue to grow the VW golf consumer database by at least 10,000 addresses annually (golf consumer database currently stands at 65,000 contacts) and to improve knowledge of contacts thereon through detailed profiling in order to inform future marketing and promotional campaigns. (Ongoing.) Publish new edition of Wales Golf Guide in spring 2010, ahead of the 2010 Ryder Cup. (Spring 2010) Further develop and maintain the VW golf gateway in order to improve on interaction, quality of information and number of Wales golf packages promoted. (Ongoing.) Continue to encourage the development of golf clusters and to provide opportunities for the clusters to market themselves eVectively. (Ongoing.) Work closely with golf tour operators in all key target markets in order to increase the number and quality of golf programmes into Wales. Develop series of golf tour operator specific communications and provide relevant collateral and imagery. (Ongoing.) Develop relationship with the North American Golf Tour Operators including the organisation of golf Wales familiarisation visit (March 2009) which will include a workshop session with Wales suppliers, products and operators. (Ongoing.) Ensure positive Wales’s media coverage in UK, Europe and USA—achieve £6 million media coverage value. (Ongoing.) Maximise all tourism related opportunities presented as part of the annual RCL benefits package, in particular: — promotional stand within tented village at selected ET tournaments; — VW golf TV ad on tournament TV; — VW advertisement and feature in tournament programmes; and — extensive online marketing programme with europeantour.com Maximise all promotional opportunities around the 2009 season of selected golf trade and consumer shows including: — International Golf Travel Market to 2010 PGA Golf Show; — Rheine Golf Show; — Sweden Golf Show; and — Ian Woosnam contract. Where appropriate, support in bound activity, golf writers, golf tour operators etc and Welsh in bound operators/ground handlers. (Ongoing.) Raise standards of service and quality of food being oVered in golf clubs by developing a customer service/food & beverage training programme. (Ongoing.) Increase the number of golf clubs investing in their product. Publicise and encourage clubs to improve the quality of their facilities by accessing grants from the Investment Support Scheme to upgrade clubhouse facilities and on-site accommodation. (Ongoing.) Roll out and launch the National Wales Caddy Programme. The caddy service will be available for visitors and tournament players and will form an easily accessible service for those wishing to oVer caddies eg clubs, clusters and tour operators. (Ongoing.) Working alongside Ryder Cup Wales and Golf Union for Wales to develop an online tee-time booking system for clubs. In addition clubs are being encouraged to invest in their ICT systems to ensure clubs run more eYciently. (Ongoing.) Support training initiatives for golf clubs extending on pilot programme “Driving Change” launched in November 2004 which focused on marketing and developing Golf and It schemes for clubs, increase participating numbers from 60–85. (September.) Where appropriate, support in bound activity, golf writers, golf tour operators etc and Welsh in bound operators/ground handlers. (Ongoing.) Continue to fund the SMS Golf Tourism Monitor—the annual research programme measuring the value and volume of golf tourism to Wales including the numbers of golf visitors, reasons for visiting, influence of Ryder Cup and awareness of Visit Wales promotional activity. (Ongoing.) March 2009 Processed: 18-05-2009 22:45:51 Page Layout: COENEW [E] PPSysB Job: 422998 Unit: PAG3
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Memorandum submitted by Euroband Laminates Ltd I read with great interest the questioning of Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell at the Welsh AVairs Select Committee and her admission that less than £100,000 of contracts have gone to Welsh companies. This is certainly in line with the experience of my company. Eurobond is based in CardiV specialising in steel faced, non-combustible stone wool core insulated composite panels that are of a high quality, competitively priced and oVer superb architectural flatness, superior fire resistance, leading thermal and air tightness performance, fast construction, low maintenance and are totally sustainable. Our contracts range from supplying external wall composite panels to multimillion-pound projects for blue chip clients such as Tesco, M&S and Ikea to schools, hospitals and public buildings nation-wide. The company is a rare manufacturing success story and has become the UK’s number one manufacturer of non-combustible, recyclable composite panels and created employment in CardiV and across North and South Wales via its material supply chain. While not expecting any preferential treatment, it is disappointing that imported products are being chosen in preference to Eurobond products that oVer the same performance. I do not think that the Olympic Delivery Authority [ODA] is ensuring fair bidding in terms of sustainability and prices. On a recent project approximately £800,000 of stone wool core insulated composite panels were chosen from a Finnish supplier. Eurobond oVered panels with identical appearance and performance. My concerns are: 1. Stone wool core insulated composite panels are relatively heavy, bulky and low cost and therefore transport is a major pricing factor. Eurobond is the largest (60% plus of UK market) and most eYcient manufacturer of this product in the UK and more than matches any similar operation in Europe. Transport from Finland to London will add over £5 m2 to the cost of the product, compared to delivery from South Wales. The extra cost is more than the profit margin that Eurobond would expect, so the only conclusion is that the Finnish product is being dumped or in some way subsidised. 2. London put sustainability at the heart of its bid for the 2012 Games and the ODA is tasked with reducing its carbon footprint. Importing heavy and bulky products from Finland when equivalent ones are available near at hand does not seem consistent with the sustainability vision. 3. By purchasing from Finland, jobs and sales are eVectively being exported from Wales. I would be pleased if you could raise my concerns with the government and would be happy to supply more detailed information. I would also like to invite you to visit our factory in CardiV so that I can brief you on the opportunities I see for Welsh manufacturers such as Eurobond and the failure of the government to support our eVorts. March 2009
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