§ Mr. HargreavesTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what she estimates to be the final cost of the new British library building at St. Pancras. [33972]
§ Mrs. Virgina BottomleyThe final outturn of the project will not be known until all final accounts have been settled. Our estimates is that this will be at least a year after practical completion, which is targeted for December 1996. However, the latest estimate of the outturn for the project is £511.1 million, which represents a 3 per cent. increase over the present ceiling of £496 million. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has agreed an increase to the project ceiling to reflect this.