§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people from the north-west visited the dome. [160098]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 1 May 2001]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that exit polls of dome visitors conducted by MORI in January, April and August 2000 found that 4 per cent. of visitors to the dome, or around 260,000 people, came from the north-west. 112W Additionally, NMEC's records show that bookings made by the North West Education Region, covering a similar area to the postcode area, under the free schools initiative totalled 20,226 or 3 per cent. of such bookings in the UK. The same Education Region also made 8,500 bookings (or 2 per cent. of such bookings in the UK) under the special offer available to schools for paid visits.