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Four Welsh 2012 deals total £100k Four Welsh 2012 deals total £100k
(1 day later)
Just four Welsh firms have won direct contracts for the London Olympics with a total value below £100,000, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has revealed.Just four Welsh firms have won direct contracts for the London Olympics with a total value below £100,000, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has revealed.
Ms Jowell said there was "an enormous amount more" Welsh firms could do.Ms Jowell said there was "an enormous amount more" Welsh firms could do.
But she also confirmed that Wales was set to lose £65m in lottery cash due to the cost of staging the games in 2012.But she also confirmed that Wales was set to lose £65m in lottery cash due to the cost of staging the games in 2012.
And Ms Jowell admitted Wales could lose "substantially more" once further money that could have been attracted to match the lottery cash was considered. The assembly's heritage minister, Alun Ffred Jones, described the business figures as "disappointing" and said there is "room for improvement".
She was answering questions from MPs on the Welsh Affairs Committee. "We hope that more companies will not only be able to bid, but bid successfully for business at the London Olympics," said Mr Jones.
He said money was being spent by the assembly government to ensure that Welsh companies are aware of opportunities being made available by London 2012.
"The figures so far are certainly disappointing, while not surprising, given that the games are London games," added Mr Jones.
Tessa Jowell has also admitted Wales could lose "substantially more" money than just £65m in lottery cash, once further funding is considered from matching the lotto grants.
Her comments came as she answered questions from MPs on the Welsh Affairs Committee.
Asked about the value of the four Welsh contracts she said: "It runs to thousands of pounds rather than millions of pounds".Asked about the value of the four Welsh contracts she said: "It runs to thousands of pounds rather than millions of pounds".
Pressed as to whether or not it was in the low thousands she admitted it was "tens of thousands" of pounds.Pressed as to whether or not it was in the low thousands she admitted it was "tens of thousands" of pounds.
"One thousand Welsh businesses have registered as part of the electronic brokerage network but only four contracts have been awarded to Welsh businesses," Ms Jowell said."One thousand Welsh businesses have registered as part of the electronic brokerage network but only four contracts have been awarded to Welsh businesses," Ms Jowell said.
'UK's pain''UK's pain'
Figures obtained by the Conservatives in April last year showed that at that stage only three Welsh firms had won contracts with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), so the figure has gone up by just one in nine months.Figures obtained by the Conservatives in April last year showed that at that stage only three Welsh firms had won contracts with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), so the figure has gone up by just one in nine months.
Plaid Cymru Caernarfon MP Hywel Williams observed:"the reality is that this is a London Olympics on the UK's pain". The issue of lottery funding was flagged up by the Welsh Assembly Government last week, when Alun Ffred Jones said he believed the Olympics could cost Wales £100m in lost Lottery cash and consequential benefits.
Asked by him how much Wales would lose in lottery funding, Ms Jowell said the figure was £65m. Speaking on Thursday, he added: "I would suggest that it is a very high price to pay for voluntary bodies who have now seen the lottery funds dry up."
Asked if that included the extra money Wales could attract to from other sources to match the lottery funding, she replied "No".
Mr Williams then asked if the figure of Wales's loss could be "substantially more".
"Yes", was the response.
The exchange follows concerns expressed by Welsh Assembly Government Heritage Minister and Plaid Cymru AM Alun Ffred Jones last week.
He was worried that the Olympics could cost Wales £100m in lost Lottery funding and consequential benefits.
Essex mountain bikingEssex mountain biking
Ms Jowell was also grilled by Shadow Wales Office minister David Jones on the number of events being held outside London.Ms Jowell was also grilled by Shadow Wales Office minister David Jones on the number of events being held outside London.
Mr Jones said: "You've been saying that it will be a UK-wide games but you would recognise the disappointment felt in Wales because so few events will be held in Wales - with the mountain bike competition being held in Essex despite the fact that there is an excellent facility in Port Talbot."Mr Jones said: "You've been saying that it will be a UK-wide games but you would recognise the disappointment felt in Wales because so few events will be held in Wales - with the mountain bike competition being held in Essex despite the fact that there is an excellent facility in Port Talbot."
But Ms Jowell made it clear that the games will be London centric.But Ms Jowell made it clear that the games will be London centric.
She insisted London's bid was successful on the basis that it would be "compact".She insisted London's bid was successful on the basis that it would be "compact".
"It is a London games and I don't want to raise any hopes, we would not have won the games if it were not compact.""It is a London games and I don't want to raise any hopes, we would not have won the games if it were not compact."
Ms Jowell said the Australian Paralympic team had decided to use facilities in Cardiff and now was a good time for council leaders to try to encourage foreign National Olympic Committees to use Wales as their base or training camp.Ms Jowell said the Australian Paralympic team had decided to use facilities in Cardiff and now was a good time for council leaders to try to encourage foreign National Olympic Committees to use Wales as their base or training camp.
The 2010 Ryder Cup along with the 2012 Olympics should also be seen as a way to bolster tourism, she told the MPs.The 2010 Ryder Cup along with the 2012 Olympics should also be seen as a way to bolster tourism, she told the MPs.