Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

World Rally Championship

Wednesday 3 March 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Greg Smith asked about potential representations regarding a world rally championship round in Northern Ireland.
  • The Minister emphasized the Government's support for Northern Ireland tourism, including major sporting events.
  • Greg Smith highlighted the UK's long-standing involvement in hosting world rally championship rounds since 1973.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Northern Ireland
Context

The question is prompted by discussions about the possibility of hosting a world rally championship event in Northern Ireland.

Question

What representations has he received on a potential world rally championship round taking place in Northern Ireland?

Answer from Robin Walker

This Government will always do what they can to champion Northern Ireland tourism, which in normal times includes major sporting events. I know that the Northern Ireland Economy Minister was giving consideration to hosting the world rally championship, for which the hon. Member for North Antrim (Ian Paisley) has been a strong champion in the House. The Government will happily support the Executive should they decide to proceed with funding the event, but ultimately, this is a matter for the Executive.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about representations received was not directly addressed; instead, general support and context were provided.

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Q2 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Context

The question follows up on the previous inquiry about a potential world rally championship round in Northern Ireland, highlighting the UK's historical role and significance.

Question

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. The United Kingdom proudly sits at the heart of global motorsports, having hosted a round of the world rally championship virtually every year since its inception in 1973. Does my hon. Friend agree with me that it is important that the UK continues to host a round of that championship, and will he do everything possible to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and all parties involved to see a round of the WRC hosted in Northern Ireland in the coming years?

Answer from Robin Walker

I wish my hon. Friend a happy birthday, and I welcome the points he makes about the UK's leadership in the space of motorsports. I think Northern Ireland would produce an excellent backdrop for hosting an event of that sort, and I would be very happy to continue to work to support the Executive in that regard with any future bids.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about working towards a successful bid was not directly addressed; instead, general support was provided.

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