Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the Giro D'Italia in Northern Ireland; and what plans she has to ensure a positive legacy from the event.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) estimates that the Giro d'Italia “Grande Partenza” was viewed by 775 million people in 165 countries across the world giving this huge audience the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery of Northern Ireland. NITB has estimated that the event should generate 140,000 tourist visits to Northern Ireland.

Building on the legacy of the Giro d'Italia is, of course, for the Northern Ireland Executive to take forward and I understand that the Assembly has discussed the issue.