§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the cost, per month, for each of the last six months, of the Millennium Dome to(a) the Millennium Commission, (b) Government Departments and (c) private funds. [76]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 25 June 2001]: The New Millennium Experience company (NMEC) has advised that the monthly cost of the Dome and the site on which it stands for the last six months is as follows:
£000 January 2001 2,615 February 2001 1,635 March 2001 1,459 April 2001 719 May 2001 687 June 2001 1486 1 Budgeted costs Note:
Final figures for June are not yet available
In addition to care and maintenance, costs for the first part of this year include expenditure incurred on Dome decommissioning.
Government Departments are not involved directly in financing the Dome Ministers have received support from officials over the last six months in respect of the Dome sale process and any other Dome-related matters in the normal course of business; but the cost of this is not separable from the cost of support to Ministers on other matters.
I am not aware of any cost of the Millennium Dome to private funds over the last six months other than costs incurred by potential bidders. These are a matter for them.