News Release

16th January 2008

OLYMPICS COSTING ARTS AND SPORTS DEAR IN THE MIDLANDS

Michael Fabricant has spoken out in Parliament at the near tripling of costs of the Olympic Games to be held in London in 2012. "Although the Olympic Games will be a wonderful event for the UK in the 2 weeks it is held, it cannot be at any expense. I am already deeply concerned about the effect it is having on arts and local sports in the midlands as money is being drained from the lottery fund to provide income for the Olympics in London" says Michael. He believes the stage may soon come when MPs will have to say 'enough is enough'.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday 15th January) in a debate to vote extra money to the Olympics out of the lottery fund, Michael said:-

"None of us should be demonised if we question the amounts of money being spent on the Olympic games- particularly those of us who are not from metropolitan London and who will not feel the same benefit as Londoners from the building legacy after the Games have finished. There are already swingeing cuts in the arts. The Lichfield Garrick theatre is no longer to receive its funding, nor is the Birmingham repertory theatre, and that situation is replicated throughout the United Kingdom. What assurance do we have that the situation will not get still worse?

Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport replied:

"My honourable friend makes an extremely important point-he is absolutely right. I shall talk later about the impact in the rest of the country and on arts budgets........"