(ATR) London Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell tells Around the Rings new figures for construction of venues for the 2012 Olympics are "realistic" and should not go up in the years ahead.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell: “I think that if you take on bidding for, then hosting the Olympic Games, of course it’s going to be difficult at times.” (ATR)

(ATR) London Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell tells Around the Rings new figures for construction of venues for the 2012 Olympics are "realistic" and should not go up in the years ahead.

"I think these figures have been subject to a very high level of scrutiny by experts in the field, and I think that the broad agreement in government is that these costs are realistic," said Jowell in a telephone interview from her London office.

Jowell and the government have been under fire since last Thursday when she released the latest estimates of what the government will pay to stage the Games as well as regenerate the area of east London where the Olympic Park and Olympic Village will be constructed.

The total, about $18 billion, is three times the original estimate. Jowell, as the parliamentary messenger, has been to target of scathing comments from the opposition and some barbed political cartoons in the British press.

Jowell says the blows in the press are part of hosting the Olympics.

"I think that if you take on bidding for, then hosting the Olympic Games, of course it’s going to be difficult at times. But it’s one of those big challenges that you know is in every moment of tough challenge, going to be worth it," she says.

I'm a passionate believer in the Olympics and the good things they can brings to a country, so any difficulty is worth weathering in order to get us to a position where we can host the best games ever,” says Jowell.

She knocks-back accusations from the opposition that she has not been honest in disclosing costs of the Games.

"I have been completely open about the costs of the games as the facts and the figures become known. I mean, we’ve seen over the past few weeks, you know, some pretty wild estimates of what the games are going to cost. We've now got a clear budget, we’ve got finance provision, and that’s the basis on which we can now proceed," she says.

"If the opposition don't agree with the approach tha

Part of the land in the Olympic Park area of East London targeted for regeneration. (ATR)

t I've taken to funding the games, then they obviously have to provide an alternative way of funding the games, and I haven't seen any alternative proposals," says Jowell.

Jowell says that in the course of preparations for an Olympics, she expects scrutiny over the budget, which she calls "entirely legitimate".

"I think people are entitled to be skeptical, and to have their questions answered, and what I did last week was to set out two figures. One, the costs of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, and second, is transforming a whole part of east London, one of the most deprived parts of our country," says Jowell.

She says $6.2 b

The Olympic Park in an artist rendering.

illion will be needed for construction of the Olympic Park, $3.4 billion for the regeneration projects.

The most strident criticism for Jowell has come over plans to use money from the National Lottery to fund the increased costs of the Games. With more going to the Olympics, less will be available to arts, heritage and sport groups which receive lottery money. But she says steps will be taken to minimize the losses.

"We always said that the lottery would make a contribution to the Olympics. The lottery will contribute about 23% of the total funding provision for the Olympics, and of course that means that if you are paying for the Olympics, there are other things you can’t do.

"But we have provided very extensive safeguards for the lottery by protecting the investment that goes to the voluntary community sector, guaranteeing they will continue to get the money that they expect," she sid.

Jowell says she hopes to meet with IOC President Jacques Rogge in the next few weeks to discuss overall London preparations. She says she hopes the budget announced last week allays concerns from the IOC that public support for the London Olympics is being eroded by the budget controversy.

Your best source of news about the 2012 Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.