§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the bids received by English Heritage in respect of the Stonehenge Visitors Centre project have been evaluated and by whom; what is the timescale for consequent decisions; whether the bids have been seen and considered by(a) the National Trust, (b) the Ministry of Defence, (c) the DETR and (d) Salisbury District Council; and when their comments will be (i) considered by him and (ii) published. [103408]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe preferred commercial operator of the new visitor centre will be chosen by a selection panel which is made up of commissioners and senior staff of English Heritage, council members and senior staff of the National Trust and a senior member of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The panel have been provided with a wide range of professional and technical advice and the Highways Agency, English Nature, Salisbury District Council and Wiltshire County Council have all been consulted. The Ministry of Defence is not involved in the selection of the operator for the new visitor centre. The panel met with representatives of the short listed bidders on 16 December and hopes to make an announcement of the preferred bidder early in 2000. Salisbury District Council will, in due course, consider a planning application submitted by the preferred bidder. It is not possible at this stage to give an accurate estimate of the timescale for the consultations that will follow the selection of the bidder.