§ 17. Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby)What his latest estimate is of the total building and running costs of the millennium dome. [141890]
§ The Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting (Janet Anderson)The forecast total project costs set out in the New Millennium Experience Company's budget, placed in the Library on 2 October, is £798 million. Of that, the capital build costs are forecast at £505.7 million; the non-capital costs for the project to 31 December 2000—including national programme costs and London new year's eve 1999—are forecast at £265.6 million; and the closure costs are forecast at £30.3 million.
§ Mr. RobathanFrom my memory of the original estimates of costs, that seems a pretty astonishing admission of inefficiency. Will the hon. Lady now address the question that she failed to address earlier? Given that her Department gave us the Bernie, can she explain how she thinks it appropriate that Mr. Robert Bourne, a well known donor to the Labour party, should be the only appropriate bidder for the dome after the end of this year?
§ Janet AndersonI can only assume that the hon. Gentleman was not listening earlier; I repeat that Ministers took the decision to make Legacy the preferred bidder after receiving full and rigorous advice from the competition team, as well as from a wide range of other sources, including English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Company.