London Olympics: Scotland left out
Left out?
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Day after day, Team GB pick up gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, but what are the political ramifications back home?
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Wednesday, 12, Nov 2008 12:00
Only 1.2 per cent of the companies that have been awarded contracts by the Olympic Delivery Authority are based in Scotland, it has been revealed.
"It's clear from these hugely disappointing statistics that Scottish companies are an afterthought when lucrative London 2012 contracts are being awarded," said Scotland's sports minister Stewart Maxwell.
City MP John Barrett called for cooperation between the UK and Scotland to ensure Scotland benefits from the London 2012 Olympics.
"The benefit of the Olympics ought to be felt throughout the whole of the UK. I hope party politics is not taking priority over supporting Scottish business," Mr Barret said.
To increase Scottish participation, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell suggested the Scottish government try to maximise Scottish benefits through contracts.
Claims have been made that the UK did reach out to Scotland to work on the games, but Scotland's sports minister, Stewart Maxwell, denied the SNP administration had declined to work with Westminster.