Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what powers he has to request from the Olympic Organising Committee information on the way in which specific equipment supply contracts (a) have been and (b) will be awarded.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Department has developed strong relationships with the Organising Committees for Tokyo 2020 (TOCOG) and Paris 2024, and has consistently promoted UK strengths in the Sports Economy sector, via inward and outward missions, one-to-one meetings, events and marketing collateral.
The responsibility for how specific contracts are tendered and awarded for Olympic and Paralympic Games lies solely with each local Organising Committee. HMG has encouraged both Organising Committees to utilise international best practice. Tokyo 2020 has a procurement portal listing upcoming contracts, which is fully accessible to UK companies.
All tenders for the Paris 2024 Games will be published on the “Bulletin Officiel”, the official platform for public procurement in France. This platform is open to companies globally, and UK companies can freely bid for tenders. DIT are working closely with our colleagues in France to ensure relevant opportunities for these games are directed towards potential UK suppliers.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether procurement processes for the provision of equipment for Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 will be open to UK businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Department has developed strong relationships with the Organising Committees for Tokyo 2020 (TOCOG) and Paris 2024, and has consistently promoted UK strengths in the Sports Economy sector, via inward and outward missions, one-to-one meetings, events and marketing collateral.
The responsibility for how specific contracts are tendered and awarded for Olympic and Paralympic Games lies solely with each local Organising Committee. HMG has encouraged both Organising Committees to utilise international best practice. Tokyo 2020 has a procurement portal listing upcoming contracts, which is fully accessible to UK companies.
All tenders for the Paris 2024 Games will be published on the “Bulletin Officiel”, the official platform for public procurement in France. This platform is open to companies globally, and UK companies can freely bid for tenders. DIT are working closely with our colleagues in France to ensure relevant opportunities for these games are directed towards potential UK suppliers.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to which organisations the shooting traps used in the London 2012 Olympic Games were donated.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The shooting traps from the London 2012 Games were part of the technology contract between the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Games’ official technology partners OMEGA. Government had no role in the traps’ use post-Games.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department has taken to promote UK businesses for the award of Olympic Games contracts.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Department has developed strong relationships with the Organising Committees for Tokyo 2020 (TOCOG) and Paris 2024, and has consistently promoted UK strengths in the Sports Economy sector, via inward and outward missions, one-to-one meetings, events and marketing collateral.
The responsibility for how specific contracts are tendered and awarded for Olympic and Paralympic Games lies solely with each local Organising Committee. HMG has encouraged both Organising Committees to utilise international best practice. Tokyo 2020 has a procurement portal listing upcoming contracts, which is fully accessible to UK companies.
All tenders for the Paris 2024 Games will be published on the “Bulletin Officiel”, the official platform for public procurement in France. This platform is open to companies globally, and UK companies can freely bid for tenders. DIT are working closely with our colleagues in France to ensure relevant opportunities for these games are directed towards potential UK suppliers.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what guarantees of financial stability are required from firms tendering to supply sports equipment for Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Answered by Graham Stuart
There has been no consistent requirement regarding the financial status of companies for Tokyo 2020 contracts. It has been on a tender-by-tender basis. Tenders can be accessed via: www.tokyo2020.org/en/organising-committee/procurement/
Procurement is still at a very early stage with regards to Paris 2024. Procurement opportunities, outside of infrastructure, will accelerate after Tokyo 2020. We will then have more of an understanding around what guarantees of financial stability are required.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the ability of sporting events to underpin his work in furthering the UK’s trading relationships.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade, alongside other Government Departments, works to take full advantage of world class sporting events hosted in the UK. DIT run inward missions to showcase UK expertise and promote trade to visiting delegations. DIT ran an International Observer Programme during the 2017 World Athletics Championships which included delegations from several countries. In 2015 DIT hosted a Japanese delegation during the Rugby World Cup. DIT continue to plan similar missions to run alongside future sporting events, such as the Cricket World Cup later this year. DIT recognises the value of sporting events hosted overseas to further the UK’s trading relationships and has delivered activities such as British Houses and business delegations at major sporting events for this purpose. DIT are looking forward to making the most of opportunities offered around Rugby World Cup 2019 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has taken steps to ensure that trade missions associate with and run alongside UK sporting events.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade, alongside other Government Departments, works to take full advantage of world class sporting events hosted in the UK. DIT run inward missions to showcase UK expertise and promote trade to visiting delegations. DIT ran an International Observer Programme during the 2017 World Athletics Championships which included delegations from several countries. In 2015 DIT hosted a Japanese delegation during the Rugby World Cup. DIT continue to plan similar missions to run alongside future sporting events, such as the Cricket World Cup later this year. DIT recognises the value of sporting events hosted overseas to further the UK’s trading relationships and has delivered activities such as British Houses and business delegations at major sporting events for this purpose. DIT are looking forward to making the most of opportunities offered around Rugby World Cup 2019 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the inclusion of skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, what plans he has to support skateboarding in the UK.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
UK Sport announced on 7 December 2018 that 14 Olympic and Paralympic sports, including skateboarding, will receive investment from the new £3m Aspiration Fund, which aims to support sports that do not currently receive full UK Sport funding to develop plans to help teams and athletes qualify and prepare for Tokyo 2020. Alongside their qualification plan, sports seeking funding submitted details on how they intend to capitalise on the impact of competing at the 2020 Games and engage and inspire future generations.
This Aspiration Fund provides a fantastic opportunity for sports to develop their potential not only to inspire through their performances, but also to have a genuine social impact in communities across the UK
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to skateboarding from (a) Sport England and (b) UK Sport (i) by recipient organisation and (ii) for what purpose in each of the last two years.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
a) Between 2017-2018, Sport England invested £844,869 into 20 projects, including the refurbishment and development of skateparks and related facilities. Full details of these investments can be found on Sport England’s website.
(b) (i) UK Sport has allocated up to £166,825 from the innovative Aspiration Fund to support the sport’s route to the Tokyo Olympics. The skateboarding investment award made through the Aspiration Fund has been allocated to the sport pending identification of the best funding delivery model. This award is dependent upon the sport satisfying UK Sport’s conditions of award.
(b) (ii) The £3 million Aspiration Fund announced by DCMS in October 2018 allows sports who do not currently receive full UK Sport funding to develop plans to help teams and athletes qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Alongside skateboarding’s proposed qualification plan for Tokyo 2020, the sport must demonstrate how they will capitalise on the impact of competing at the 2020 Games and engage and inspire communities.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential trading opportunities with the United States sports sector post-Brexit.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The Department for International Trade (DIT) works to raise the profile of the UK’s world leading sports industries, organisations and leagues across the globe. The announcement of Los Angeles as host of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the successful ‘United’ bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup present opportunities for UK expertise in major sporting events. DIT will actively promote relevant opportunities arising from these events to UK businesses and organisations as they pursue opportunities in the sports economy sector internationally.