Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams MP has raised concerns that Wales will see little benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games in London following plans published by the UK Government just before Christmas.
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport published their ‘Plans for the Legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games’, which makes no specific mention of Wales in its report.
Mr Williams criticised the former Labour Government for diverting money away from community groups and good causes in Wales and for failing to ensure a Barnett consequential for redeveloping Wales in the same way as East London was being supported.
Mr Williams said:
“There is a very real concern that Wales will get nothing from London hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, despite our proximity to the events.
“It is estimated that the Labour Party diverted around £100m of Lottery funding that should have come to Wales was transferred to the Olympics. That is money that could have gone directly to good causes and youth sports in Wales.
“Then there is the redevelopment which East London is undergoing as part of the Olympic Games, proudly pointed out in the Legacy Plans recently published by DCMS.
“In terms of major contracts, Wales has fared badly, with less than 1% of the monetary value going to companies in Wales, and the vast majority going to companies in the south-east of England.
“As far as events are concerned, we are going to see just a handful of football matches played in Wales, despite our excellent sporting facilities and opportunities for sports as varied as surfing and biking, with anyone interested in watching the Games travelling to London as a tourist and paying up to hundreds of pounds for events.
“When we weigh up the costs and benefits of the Olympic Games for the Welsh taxpayer, we have to say that there has been a lot of cost, but not a lot of benefit so far.
“There is a total of £9.3bn of public money going into the Olympic Games, with very little benefit to those outside of London and the south-east of England. If there had been a Barnett consequential on the amount provided by the UK Government, then Wales would have been £337m better off.
“The Labour Party who brought this expensive event to the UK should have ensured that all parts of the UK go their fair share. Instead they were happy to take money away from Wales so that they could claim the Olympics as their prize.
“However, there is still time for the new UK Government to recognise the iniquity of this issue and allow the devolved governments their rightful money to protect themselves against their cuts.”
