Lyn Brown

I addressed a gathering in West Ham on Saturday as part of the VE and VJ celebrations. After we had reflected on the dreadful events of 7/7, I urged my constituents to take the joy and elation back from the callous bombers who destroyed many lives and our euphoria. Today, I urge hon. Members to take our joy back and to continue to celebrate our amazing victory in bringing the Olympic games to the United Kingdom.

The Olympic games is a prize that we, as a community, strived to gain over the past three years. Many West Hammers contributed to the attainment of that prize—for example, by contributing to community forums to garner support or talking to international or national delegations. Children sent their hopes and dreams to the International Olympic Committee, and the council contributed ideas and expertise to the bid. We contributed to the bid, and we demand the right to celebrate winning that amazing prize for West Ham. West Ham is proud, excited, expectant and optimistic, and it is beginning to celebrate its success, and I humbly ask hon. Members to celebrate London's and the UK's success.

My constituents are looking forward to participating in the games. We hope and expect that some of our residents will compete. Some of our residents will work as technicians, reporters, photographers, translators, artists, vendors, taxi drivers, chefs, medics and hoteliers. We expect some people to start companies, to sell services and to make their first million because of the inspiration and opportunity offered by the games. We are asking our people and our businesses to consider what they might reap from the largest peacetime event in history.

Some of our residents will be among the 70,000 volunteers who make the games so special. Recruitment has already begun, and to date 17,000 Londoners have volunteered, which shows their excitement about and commitment to the games. In my borough, more than 500 volunteers have received training and will participate in the London triathlon and volunteer for other activities in our libraries and schools. The opportunities to volunteer will help to reinvigorate civic pride and civic engagement, which will possibly provide skills, build confidence and increase employment.

The physical and economic transformation of my constituency will hopefully be matched by a blossoming of the unique cultural vibrancy of those dynamic and creative communities. The bid team acknowledged the importance of the cultural development framework prepared by the five boroughs, which includes the concept of a new east bank for London—a community focused yet internationally renowned cultural hub stretching from Stratford city to the Greenwich peninsula.

To achieve those objectives, we must plan because, to use a well-worn phrase, to fail to plan is to plan to fail. Some are concerned that previous Olympic games did not reap the expected social and economic benefits given the financial outlay, although it is difficult to ascertain what social and financial benefits were expected. If one does not plan to reap a specific and quantifiable benefit, one will fail, and the social legacy of the games was not top of previous Olympic agendas.

As a local councillor from Newham, I have discussed the benefits with a number of local, regional and national agencies. Those benefits will massively change the deprivation indicators in east London. If we work to ensure that the legacy of the Olympic games is the renewal and regeneration of an area of the country—and indeed of a generation—we will succeed.

One concern is that the Bill does not refer to local authorities such as my own, and their role has not been recognised. I contend that the opportunities presented by the games will be fully realised, deep rooted and sustained only if the community is engaged with the physical and social changes. Local authorities are uniquely charged with that responsibility and are uniquely positioned to discharge it. Sir Robin Wales, the elected mayor of Newham, has already contributed as a member of the London 2012 legacy board. I ask the Secretary of State to ensure that the legislation fully recognises the essential role of local government in the planning, delivery and legacy phases of the London 2012 Olympics.

The regeneration of communities is a partnership between the different tiers of government, their agencies and the communities they serve. Without such partnerships, the renewal and regeneration of areas will not be accomplished. The Olympics will bring billions of pounds of business to national, regional, and local companies over the next eight years and more. The Olympics will see the creation of 19,000 new jobs in construction, ICT, media, retail, health, hospitality, sport and the creative industries.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry

 Although I welcome the new jobs that the Olympics will bring, particularly in the construction industry, we must remember that the Government are also creating new construction jobs through programmes such as building skills for the future, and better homes. I hope that hon. Members agree that in planning for the Olympics we must ensure that we have enough training places to allow our young people to obtain the necessary skills to take advantage of those jobs and that we have sufficient capacity in the construction industry to meet the various demands.

Lyn Brown:

 I agree with my hon. Friend. If we do not set up training programmes and plan to get our children into those jobs, we will simply fail. The games will bring an opportunity for us to showcase our talent, creativity, innovation and design to global audiences, and will transform the local and regional economy. 
 
We must, however, remember that there will be casualties from the regeneration of the area. Local businesses will be displaced because of the need to create space for the Olympic Park stadium. The Bill allows for the necessary compulsory purchases. I ask the Government and the London Development Agency to take immediate steps to reassure the businesses concerned and to proceed to expedite the responsibility of relocation and compensation. Land must be acquired at a fair market rent.

Mrs. Lait :

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for allowing me to pursue an issue that I took up with the Secretary of State—that of compensation on compulsory purchase. As I understand the Bill—I will be grateful if she tells me differently—the LDA is limited to the current terms of the planning Acts, which means that it cannot go beyond compulsory purchase price. Can the hon. Lady explain where she sees the area for negotiation?

Lyn Brown:

I am about to deal with that.

We need to ensure that the planning that is essential for the continued vibrancy of the companies concerned is expedited as quickly as possible. Firms have talked to me about wanting a fair price and about needing to ensure that any red tape is dealt with sympathetically so that they do not incur down time and therefore financial loss, which will mean a loss of confidence among their suppliers and customers. I ask the LDA or the Olympic delivery authority to streamline the planning and licensing permissions to avoid delays that might otherwise impede the relocation process.

I am further concerned by reports that break clauses in leases are being used as a device to lessen compensation, which may result in job loss and a loss of economic activity in the area. We all want the games to bring in additional businesses and business growth, not to see the demise of long-established businesses of international renown. Access to increasing opportunities is vital. Newham is the tenth poorest area in England and Wales and the fourth poorest in London. It is flanked on its western borders by the London borough of Tower Hamlets and the London borough of Hackney, which are the first and second poorest areas in the capital.

Think of the vast area of deprivation, the lack of skills, the high mortality rate, and the low educational achievement. West Ham has the lowest employment rates in the country. A third of our households contain no one in employment. Our people die six years earlier than those in the community of Westminster. More than half our children live in poverty. Imagine what could be achieved for this community by the benefit of the games. A games that fails to benefit these people—benefit, not displace them—will be a failed opportunity and a failed investment. If we can secure these benefits for the community, it will reciprocate.

The country and the world can rely on the energy and enthusiasm of east Londoners. After all, more than anywhere else in the world, this is where the world comes together. Some 110 languages are spoken in Newham schools alone. It is a place where diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated. Every athlete will find a community to cheer them on.

In return for the honour of hosting the games, we promise that visitors from the rest of London, the rest of the UK and the rest of the world can expect the warmest of welcomes in the east end. As staff, hosts, passionate spectators, and enthusiastic and efficient volunteers, West Ham residents will make the 2012 games unforgettable. In return, we must collectively ensure that the 2012 games are remembered not only for providing a truly world-class event but for providing long-lasting benefits to east London, to London, and to the whole of the United Kingdom.