Mr. ArnoldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what public money has been committed by his Department to the setting up of the Greater Manchester exhibition centre (G-MEC); what information he has about the project's other sources of funding; and what steps he has taken to ensure that this expenditure is cost-effective.
§ Mr. TrippierThe former central station train hall was converted into the GMEX centre and opened in March 1986. Public sector input to the conversion cost totalled about £13.5 million, of which the urban programme contributed £9.4 million and the European regional development fund provided £4 million. The private sector contribution was approximately£11 million.
At the abolition of the Greater Manchester county council the liabilities and rights in GMEX were transferred to the Greater Manchester Residuary Body. The district council has generally been content for the residuary body to deal with the complex GMEX issues and to protect the interests of the ratepayers, and it remains with the residuary body to continue to handle these matters.