Olympic Games 2012: Tickets

Baroness Doocey Excerpts

Monday 4th July 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

My Lords, I have read the article. I agree that Britain should be proud of what LOCOG has done with ticketing.

[Baroness Doocey]

My Lords, 1 million fans applied for tickets and were disappointed that they failed to get them. At the same time, local authorities have each had 100 tickets for the 100 metres final, the diving finals, the cycling finals, and the opening address. Does the Minister agree that this surely goes against the spirit of Olympic fairness?

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

My Lords, there have been allocations to local authorities, certainly to those surrounding the Games and those that have been most involved with them. The allocation of the tickets has been done in the fairest way possible given the numbers and the interest in them. With regard to the opening ceremony, the Government actually have 212 tickets, which out of a capacity of 80,000 is probably not too extravagant.