To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) financial and (b) other assistance his Department is providing to the Rugby League World Cup. [83077]
[holding answer 4 May 1999]: Firstly, I congratulate the Rugby Football League (RFL) on their successful bid for this major international sporting event and look forward to a world-beating competition next year.
| Year/budget | Spending (£ million) | Allocation between totals in Table Al |
| 1997–98 | ||
| Welfare to Work | 143 | own line in table |
| 1998–99 | ||
| Welfare to Work | 717 | own line in table |
| 1999–200 | ||
| Welfare to Work | 1,492 | own line in table |
| Invest to Save Budget | 53 | own line in table; |
| allocations to departments set out in table 1.8 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1999–2000 (Cm 4201) | ||
| Capital Modernisation Fund | 250 | own line in table; |
| allocations to date to departments set out in table 1.9 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1999–2000 (Cm 4201) | ||
The RFL have been in close contact with UK Sport both before and after bidding for this event and are currently drawing up a business plan which will enable UK Sport to make a full assessment of their financial requirements. I offered my support as venue sponsor for staging the draw for this prestigious event, which took place on 26 April, and I would welcome the opportunity to become involved in profile raising events, in co-ordination with the RFL's strategy for promoting the World Cup.