Parliament

The UK Parliament and the London Olympics 2012 web pages explore its role in the oversight, planning and regulation of the Games, including the creation of the legislative framework, monitoring expenditure and ensuring a lasting legacy for the country. They aim to show how Parliamentary committees expose best and worst practice in the preparations for the Games and seek to influence policy through practical recommendations for improvement and how individual MPs raise a wide range concerns through questions and early day motions.

Parliament has particular concerns about the financial aspects of the Games, particularly getting value for money, actual and potential overspends, and budgetary control. These issues are the focus of a series of reports by the influential Commons Select Committee on Public Accounts and the National Audit Office. As well as spending on facilities and infrastructure, the reports scrutinise investment in improving the performance of British sportsmen and women. As well as expenditure control and value for money, Parliament is also committed to ensuring that the 2012 Olympic Games have a lasting positive impact on the UK in both the short and longer term. Short-term gains identified include employment opportunities for local communities, especially in deprived areas and among vulnerable groups. Longer term gains include improving the health of the nation through increased participation in sports at grass roots levels, and, of course, the regeneration of rundown parts of our towns and cities. Parliamentary Questions show MPs campaigning for their own constituencies to share the promised benefits of the Games.

The resources we highlight are published on the Parliament, National Audit Office and Office for Public Sector Information web sites and we provide links that take you straight to the full text. British Library staff will monitor developments regularly and will update the pages at least monthly.

We are indebted to Edward Leigh MP, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and to John Whittingdale MP, Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for their descriptions of the work of their respective committees (see 'Research articles', right).