§ 11. Sir Michael NeubertTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to make an official visit to the London docklands to discuss the prospects for further developments there. [17915]
§ Mr. CurryI will meet the chairman of the board of the London docklands development corporation on 20 June to discuss the draft 1995 corporate plan.
§ Sir Michael NeubertI thank my hon. Friend for that positive response. Will he confirm that development of London's docklands not only brings long overdue regenerative benefits to east London but materially enhances the potential of our capital city's national assets? In that context, will my hon. Friend lend his support to proposals for a major international exhibition centre at the royal docks to put us on a par with our European rivals?
§ Mr. CurryIt is very much the Government's intention to have high-quality development in the east Thames and east London area—the same sort of quality that we would find necessary in any other part of the country. As for the exhibition centre, my hon. Friend will know that the development corporation has nominated a consortium, with which it is negotiating. It has until the end of the year to come forward with a scheme that will stand up in financial terms. We have made it clear that that scheme, which I hope will be successful, must stand up with private finance—there is no public subsidy.