HC Deb 29 March 1999 vol 328 cc516-7W
34. Kali Mountford

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to encourage young people and children from the north of England to visit the millennium dome. [77403]

37. Mr. Watts

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to make the dome accessible to children from the north-west from low-income families. [77406]

Janet Anderson

The Millennium Experience is the focus for the nation's millennium celebrations. The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is therefore keen to ensure that as many people as possible who wish to visit the Dome can do so and that as many people as possible have the opportunity to take part in the associated National Programme of events and activities. The company's ticket pricing structure was announced on 18 March and includes up to one million free Dome admission tickets for schoolchildren under the Education Tours Scheme. There will also be discounted education rates for students/college visits (at £14.50 each) and school visits (£8 each). Details of the full range of prices were placed in the Libraries of the House on 18 March.

The NMEC is not offering special discounts for low income families although the children of all families have the chance to benefit from free admission under the Education Tours Scheme. The overall ticket pricing structure has been informed by the experience and systems of other major visitor attractions both in the public and the private sectors. In addition to visiting the Dome, thousands of schoolchildren are taking part in the National Programme's Schoolnet 2000 project (sponsored by Tesco); the Voices of Promise project (sponsored by Marks and Spencer); and the Our Town Story project (sponsored by McDonalds).

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates his Department has made of the numbers of people likely to visit the millennium dome in each of the next five years. 77402]

Mr. Chris Smith

During the period of the Millennium Experience—i.e. during the year 2000—the New Millennium Experience are expecting 12 million visitors. From 2001 onwards, numbers will depend upon the outcome of the competition launched by the Government on 4 March to find a long-term, sustainable and viable use for the Millennium Dome.