§ Baroness Oppenheim-Barnesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the costs for the erection and dismantling of the Powerhouse::uk exhibition; and how frequently the erection and dismantling of the exhibition will take place during the next 12 months.
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, the total cost for the erection and dismantling was £150,000. Discussion on the future use of the building and the exhibition is currently taking place.
§ Baroness Oppenheim-BarnesMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that helpful Answer. Does he not agree that, to put the matter very kindly indeed, these edifices are at the very least hideous, impractical and expensive? Does he not further agree that, if they are supposed to be some representation of Cool Britannia, it is time to turn up the heat under the person whose idea it was?
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, the visitors did not find it objectionable at all. A survey was conducted and the reaction of 87 per cent. of the visitors was that it was rather a good exhibition and certainly promoted British products.
§ Lord StrabolgiMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that recently it was agreed that the cars of all officials would be removed from Horse Guards Parade in order to preserve the beautiful vista over the Inigo Jones building? If we are to have these great balloons every few months, is that not going to be spoilt?
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, we are not to have these balloons every few months. As my noble friend said, prior to the exhibition Horse Guards Parade was used as a car park. This Government believe that it is time to use it in a more inclusive manner. Certainly, car parks exclude, but exhibitions invite people to come.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, does the noble Lord recall that I tabled a Question five weeks ago when the drums were being inflated on Horse Guards Parade? The noble Lord himself suggested that I move that Question because the Prime Minister was about to make a statement on the subject that or the following day. 472 Is the Minister aware that no such statement appears to have been made? Can the noble Lord throw any light on the case of the "phantom" statement? Clearly, the noble Lord acts in good faith and cannot be held responsible. Nonetheless, this looks like a muddle from which Parliament has been missed out.
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, the noble Lord was kind enough to write to me about this and I responded by saying that there was a paragraph in the Prime Minister's speech about this matter, but for some reason he did not say it. I have never been able to discover why. However, officials are burrowing away and as soon as I have any further information I shall write to the noble Lord.
§ Baroness Miller of HendonMy Lords, as regards the first Answer which the Minister gave to my noble friend Lady Oppenheim-Barnes, can he say, first, how many people attended this Cool Britannia exhibition so that we can work out the cost and, secondly, can he enlighten us about the cost of the survey that was carried out among those who attended and who said that they liked it?
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, there were about 23,000 paying visitors and about 2,000 non-paying visitors. I must emphasise that the purpose was to provide an exhibition of British ingenuity and products for the ASEM conference in London. In addition, the CBI, the Design Council and one or two other organisations used it as a venue for hosting various exhibitions and meetings of their own.
§ Baroness Miller of HendonMy Lords, what was the cost of the survey?
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, I do not have the detail of that, but I shall write to the noble Baroness.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that there must be something that can be said for an exhibition which acquired that amount of attention?
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, I quite agree. It was a very successful exhibition and showed off British ingenuity and industry very well indeed.
§ Baroness Carnegy of LourMy Lords, does the Minister agree that the Government's noble aspirations in the purposes of the exhibition could have been housed in a more dignified way? Will the Minister be interested to know that a Scot who recently came to London asked me, "What are those bouncy castles they have put up where they usually Troop the Colour?"
§ Lord HaskelMy Lords, part of the purpose of the exhibition was in fact to show off the buildings, which are easily erected and taken down. The department is in an advanced state of negotiation with a number of organisations which wish to use the buildings for exhibitions and meetings of their own.