§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Government will publish a copy of the letter sent to Legacy plc when it was made the preferred bidder for the Millennium Dome; and [HL872]
Whether they will publish the letter sent to Legacy plc terminating the preferred bidder status in relation to the Millennium Dome. [HL874]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonWe do not intend to publish the preferred bidder letter at present. Legacy are not precluded from further involvement in the process; and the letter and associated documentation contain information which could be of use to other potential bidders and undermine the Government's negotiating position.
Under the terms of the preferred bidder letter, Legacy plc's status as preferred bidder expired on 14 February 2001. I am today placing in the House libraries a copy of a letter dated 15 February from the Competition Director to Legacy plc, notifying them of the Government's decision that was announced on the same day (Hansard, col. 221W).