§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Minister without Portfolio what steps he has taken to ensure a full environmental assessment has been carried out in respect of(a) the land on which the Dome is to be built, (b) the construction process of the Dome and (c) the operation of the Dome. [35930]
§ Mr. Mandelson[holding answer 24 March 1998]: An environmental statement was submitted to the London Borough of Greenwich as part of the Millennium Experience planning application in October 1996. The subsequent approval of the application was conditional upon the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) establishing procedures to ensure that environmental issues properly inform the decision making process both for construction and operation. A draft environmental plan to meet this condition has been submitted to the London Borough of Greenwich and consultations on it are underway. The NMEC has also commissioned assessments which address a wide range of environmental matters including the health and safety of employees and visitors. Together with English Partnerships, the NMEC is undertaking an audit of the remediation work that has been done to prepare the site for the Millennium Experience.