HC Deb 26 October 1999 vol 336 cc782-3W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to increase public participation in Millennium Experience celebrations at a regional level; and if he will make a statement. [94069]

Janet Anderson

The Millennium Experience is already achieving considerable success in encouraging public participation at a local and regional level through its National Programme of events and activities and through its involvement with the Millennium Festival. To date 10 National Programme strands have been launched and another will be launched in December. Through this programme and the Millennium Festival, NMEC estimates it will have reached 40 million people before the end of the year 2000. Equally importantly, it believes it will have delivered a programme which will not only have encouraged people to celebrate this momentous point in time but will have left a legacy, the value of which will continue to be felt long after the Dome has ceased to welcome the public.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what events are planned in Shropshire as part of the Millennium Experience(a) National Programme and (b) Manpower National Skills Festival; and if he will make a statement. [94068]

Janet Anderson

The Millennium Experience National Programme is made up of a series of events and activities which aim to inspire everyone across the UK to take part and make a difference to us and to future generations. Shropshire and the West Midlands are keenly participating in many of these initiatives including over 40 major companies and public sector organisations signing up to Children's Promise; hundreds of schools busily composing a song for the Millennium as part of Voices of Promise; schools and the community in Shropshire performing in the Dome on 1 November 2000 for the Our Town Story show; and 74 Shropshire schools taking part in the creation of the greatest modern day domesday book on the internet. The area is also participating in the Manpower National Skills Festival, which encourages the promotion and celebration of vocational skills. The programme features regional contests and demonstrations culminating in the first-ever national skills championships at the NEC in Birmingham in July 2000.