Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012

Lord Davies of Oldham Excerpts

Monday 21st May 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Oldham]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Bates, brings a unique contribution to this debate in relation to the Olympic Truce. Most of us just have the expectation that all member countries of the United Nations will actually participate in the Olympic Games. We are all too aware that in the past politics has intruded in a particularly dramatic way upon certain Games. But we seem to be past that problem with regard to these Games. That is why I congratulated the Minister on the bullish way in which she introduced a report on progress regarding the Games.

Something has been missing among the general congratulations on how much has been achieved so far. I hope that this House reflects the optimism that we will do exceptionally well in the London Games. There is no doubt that greater efforts have been made for the preparation of our athletes—I have no doubt that the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, is going to make a contribution on this later, but I am first in the batting order on this occasion—and we look forward to a performance that will cheer the hearts of all of us who follow British sport and from time to time have to sustain disappointment. We have great expectations with regard to these Games.

I had the great privilege of introducing the legislation in this House on the Olympic Games, and answered innumerable questions on the progress of the preparation for them. There is one question on which I have been challenged. I am glad that the noble Lord, Lord James of Blackheath, is in his place, because he asked me about opportunities for religious worship during the Games. He is uncertain about the answer I gave, which was one of great reassurance that provision will be made for multi-faith observance during the Games. We should recognise how much in certain cultures this is of the greatest importance; after all, we all remember the 1924 Olympic Games when Liddell was not prepared to run on a Sunday. That dimension of those participating in the Games deserves proper recognition. I hope that the Minister will give a reassurance that we have fulfilled the expectations of the International Olympic Committee with regards to this provision.



I congratulate my noble friend Lady Ford on the work that she has done. We look forward to some outstandingly dramatic weeks in the Olympic Games. However, all along—this was true when the bid was first presented—we have all recognised that the Olympic Games, and the vast resources committed to them, must have a lasting legacy. My noble friend Lady Ford chaired the committee that fulfilled the expectation of that legacy. These are not marginal issues: big forces come into play when international, or even national, sport is at stake. The commitment that the Olympic stadium should remain a stadium for our future athletics competitions was threatened by the mighty forces of Premier League clubs, which were eager only to deploy their staggering resources to transform the stadium into one used for football alone. I am delighted that my noble friend and her committee withstood those pressures and safeguarded the interests of athletics.

However, I have one or two anxieties, which I bring to the Minister’s attention simply because they are felt by the whole country, but particularly by Londoners. I hope that she will give reassurance on these matters. The anxieties revolve predominantly round transport. Central London will have a vast influx of people making demands on our transport system. We should remember that the Olympic Park is only a few short miles from the centre of London. What is more, as far as possible all the other centres are concentrated in the immediate environs of London. That is very much to the credit of all those who have organised the Olympic Games but puts the most enormous pressure on our transport system, which at times creaks under present usage. I draw to the Minister’s attention the obvious anxiety that all our Tube lines, with the exception of the Jubilee Line, have shown improved performances this year compared with last. However, the Jubilee Line has a greater number of stoppages and delays than it did last year, and it is one of the crucial lines going through the centre of London straight to the terminus at Stratford. It is important that we are given reassurance on that front.

Secondly, there is anxiety about Heathrow. Any of us who have travelled to other countries where delays occur at airports know that that colours one’s perspective on the experience that one enjoys when visiting the country concerned. We all know that if you enter as an alien at certain airports in the United States you can be subject to the most inordinate delays. During the Games, we cannot afford to face the level of delays that we have had at Heathrow in recent months. This would cast a shadow over our visitors that would detract severely from their experience of the Games. Therefore, I hope that the Minister will clearly identify how we intend to solve those issues at Heathrow consistent, of course, with the need to sustain our security arrangements while ensuring that people and young children do not have too pernicious an experience when entering the country.

Finally, there has been significant investment in transport in recent years, which is paying off magnificently well in certain areas. The fact that the Javelin train will hurtle at high speed from St Pancras to Stratford is an indication of that. However, something about transport worries me: does it put the customer first? Can anyone explain why families travelling with young children on the Jubilee Line, who take between 30 and 35 minutes to arrive at Stratford, will find that that station, in common with nearly all our major termini in London and across the country, no longer provides public lavatories? The last one at Stratford was closed only a matter of months ago. What on earth is going on as regards such a basic requirement for people who are travelling particularly on the Tube, which by definition can have no facilities? The terminus has no facilities at all. That seems to represent a lack of basic concern for the traveller, and I hope that that attitude does not permeate our transport system during the period of the Games, when it must serve the people to the best of its ability.