§ 35. Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about parliamentary accountability for expenditure on the Millennium Dome. [66795]
§ Mr. Chris SmithMy noble Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office is the sole shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) on behalf of the Government and is therefore accountable to Parliament for the Company's overall performance. I will be answering to this House on all matters relating to my noble Friend's responsibilities in respect of the NMEC.
At official level, the arrangements for parliamentary accountability for expenditure on the dome mirror those which apply to all non-departmental public bodies. The Company's Chief Executive was appointed, by the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as Accounting Officer for the dome. She is therefore personally responsible to Parliament for use of the company's money.
The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is not of course, in receipt of Exchequer funds. It receives Lottery funding from the Millennium Commission. The Director of the Millennium Commission has formal Accounting Officer responsibility for the Commission's use of Lottery money. In addition, the DCMS Permanent Secretary, as Accounting Officer for the National Lottery Development Fund has responsibilities in respect of the overall use of Lottery funds.