Olympic Benefits Must Be Spread Across the UK Says Bruce

3.32.41pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 19th Jul 2005

Gordon MP, Malcolm Bruce, has written to Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, to ask her to make good on her commitment to make sure the benefits of hosting the Olympic Games are spread across the UK.

Mr Bruce commented, "I have congratulated the Government on its part in putting together the winning bid for the 2012 Olympics. It is a fantastic coup for both London and the UK to have won the opportunity to host the Games against such tough competition.

"This is also an opportunity to identify and fill gaps in the provision of sporting facilities, in order that athletes have a chance to realise their potential no matter where they come from.

"One facility that is badly needed in the North of Scotland is a 50-metre swimming pool. Aberdeen's swimming club, COAST, regularly comes top in Scotland on both a team and an individual level. One of my 15-year-old constituents is only 5 seconds off the qualifying time for the next British Olympic team in the 400 metres individual medley. Yet the nearest 50-metre pool is in Stirling, over 100 miles away, and it is only by swimming in such a pool that she can monitor her progress towards qualification and beyond.

"Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Executive both recognise the need for a 50-metre pool in the North of Scotland, but identifying the necessary funding has been a problem. If there is now to be extra funding for training and competition facilities spread across the UK, I hope that a 50-metre pool in the Aberdeen area will be seen as a strategic priority. Providing a training pool would also free up capacity at community pools, which are under extreme pressure."