Olympic Park under construction

UK taxpayers face massive bill for 2012 Olympics

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee has released a report on Olympic spending, its first since Olympic Minister Tessa Jowell admitted the price tag had risen to £ 9.3 billion (US$ 18.5 billion).

Four years ago, the Government said the cost to the taxpayer would be only £4 billion.

"The government were determined to get the bid and therefore they put in an underestimate. And I suspect a lot of people at the time in the department knew it was going to cost a lot more than £ 4 billion. Everybody is extremely angry that frankly they were not told the truth about the cost of it and they are having to pay for it whatever your view of sport is," said Conservative M.P.Edward Leigh, Chairman of The Committee of Public Accounts.

Edward Leigh went on to say that the report is extremely important because
it sheds light on a real scandal.

“This report focuses principally on the early stages of the planning of the budget for London 2012, much of which took place three or four years ago. A lot has changed since then and there is clear progress to report. We welcome the parliamentary scrutiny from the Public Accounts Committee and are working with the National Audit Office to ensure value-for-money at all times,” said Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister.
 
Another expenditure is the block-booking of almost 2,000 rooms in some of the capital’s most exclusive hotels, reserved for international delegates and their spouses. This is expected to cost ₤10 million.

The officials in London will also be treated to a fleet of over 3,000 chauffeur-driven cars, despite the promise of a green Games.

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