Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Sturdy Excerpts
Thursday 10th January 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Hugh Robertson Portrait Hugh Robertson
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As I have said on a number of occasions today, I recognise the issue that the hon. Lady raises. I assure her that once we have sufficient evidence, if action needs to be taken, it will be, but it has to be taken on the basis of national evidence, not just evidence from individual constituencies.

Julian Sturdy Portrait Julian Sturdy (York Outer) (Con)
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T8. Given that the grand départ of the Tour de France is coming to God’s own county—namely Yorkshire—in 2014, may I ask the Minister to say what pressure the Government are bringing to bear on UK Sport to support fully Yorkshire’s successful bid to host the start of the world’s biggest annual sporting event?

Hugh Robertson Portrait Hugh Robertson
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The Government have to be careful about this, because the money used to support such bids is national lottery funding and so is not open to the Government to direct. My hon. Friend will also be aware that despite the excellence of Yorkshire’s bid, it chose not to be in a position to share the commercial details of the bid with UK Sport before it made it. Now that Yorkshire has won, it is meeting UK Sport. I very much hope that a way will be found to achieve precisely the end that he is advocating.