A privilege amendment was made.
Motion
Moved by
That the Bill do now pass.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport () (Con)
My Lords, in begging to move that this Bill do now pass, I note
my gratitude that this House has recognised the importance of
this Bill by supporting the carryover Motion that brought us to
Third Reading. Taking up the Bill at this stage also offers me
the opportunity to recognise and thank my noble friend for the excellent
job he did in taking the Bill through its previous stages, ably
supported by my noble friend .
As my noble friend reflected at Second Reading,
legislation such as the Commonwealth Games Bill provides,
“the crucial framework, foundations, provisions and
protections”,—[Official Report, 25/6/19; col. 1019.]
on which the successful and seamless delivery of an event of the
scale of the Commonwealth Games relies. I echo that sentiment and
am glad that this House has gone about its scrutiny with that in
mind.
I also reflect—as I know my noble friend Lord Ashton would
have—on the informed and constructive engagement undertaken by
this House on the Bill, particularly from the noble Lords, Lord
Griffiths and , on the Front Benches
opposite. I also thank the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform
Committee for its detailed and helpful consideration of the Bill.
Finally, my thanks go to the Bill team led by the Bill manager Jo
Trapp and deputy Bill manager Tim Dwyer.
I am pleased that, for the first time in my role as a Minister at
the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I can
touch—albeit briefly—on the truly exciting opportunities created
by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It has been a strong
feature of the debates on this Bill that the Games are about far
more than just two weeks of sport and will unlock opportunities
for people across the region and the UK, delivering significant
benefits after the 11 days of sport in 2022 are over.
I welcome this House’s great enthusiasm for and interest in the
Games, and I fully appreciate the desire of noble Lords to be
kept updated as plans progress. Indeed, since we last met, the
organising committee has published its annual accounts and its
chief executive has written to noble Lords who have spoken on the
Bill to update them on the delivery of the Games. I beg to move.
3.45 pm
(Lab)
My Lords, I echo what has been said and warmly second the list of
thanks that was offered so well—especially as I was included in
it. In addition to those listed, I thank my noble friends
and Lord Hunt. We heard
wonderful disquisitions from the noble Lord, , and I know there will
be many more in the future. I have already welcomed the noble
Baroness to her post and I very much look forward to working with
her, but: she must be very careful in that job because, if she
looks to her right, she will see what just might happen to her.
(LD)
My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness to her role. This is a
very happy and really unusual moment in this House, in that we
have something that we all agree on. I encourage everybody to,
first, apply for tickets, and, secondly, to look to sponsor
another big sporting event soon.
(LD)
My Lords, briefly, I associate myself with the expressions of
support we have already heard. There is no question but that
Birmingham has done both the Commonwealth and sport a great
advantage through its willingness to take on the production of
these Games at short notice after a previous candidate had to
withdraw. So far as we can see, the arrangements are proceeding
at pace and are well judged. On this occasion, we can
comprehensively wish Birmingham a good strong following wind.
(Lab)
My Lords, this is too good an opportunity to miss. In thanking
the noble Baroness and her colleague for steering the Bill
through, I want to put a question to her, as suggested by my
noble friend . Can she assure me that
Kings Heath station will be reopened in time for the Commonwealth
Games?
I may have to write to the noble Lord on that.
Bill passed and sent to the Commons.
