Millennium Dome: Maintenance and Decommissioning Costs (Hansard, 15 November 2001)

HL Deb 15 November 2001 vol 628 cc99-100WA 100WA

§ Baroness Blatch
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the cost of maintenance and decommissioning of the Millennium Dome since its closure. [HL1113]

§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Since the end of the Millennium Experience on 31 December 2000, the costs of care and maintenance¹ up to 31 December 2001 are expected to be some £4 million, of which £2.1 million fell to the New Millennium Experience Company (before 30 June 2001) and £1.9 million will have been incurred by English Partnerships (since 1 July). The full cost of decommissioning² is expected to be in the order of £15.75 million, of which £6 million will have fallen to the New Millennium Experience Company and £9.75 million to English Partnerships.
The costs falling to NMEC came from the existing grant from the Millennium Commission last year. Costs incurred by English Partnerships will be recovered from eventual sale proceeds.
¹Includes rates, utilities, security, maintenance and insurance.

²Costs incurred in preparation for the future use of the dome.

§ Baroness Noakes
asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) What, for each of the Government, English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Company, payments have been made or agreed to be made to consultants and other professional advisers to test the market for sale or otherwise advise on the potential sale of the Millennium Dome site since 1 January 2000; (b) Whether and to what extent any of the amounts paid or agreed to be paid are contingent upon success criteria; and (c) What are those success criteria. [HL1196]

§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton
As reported previously, the expected costs of the current sale process during 2001 are in the order of £1.7 million. This largely relates to consultants costs for the market testing and other matters associated with the ongoing sale process. The details of any contracts are commercially confidential but they include an incentive element.
These costs will have been incurred by English Partnerships, which is managing the sale process on behalf of the Government. The New Millennium Experience Company also paid £82,000 to consultants for specific advisory work in connection with the potential sale of the Millennium Dome.
The cost of the previous competition to find a longterm use for the Dome, which began in March 1999 and ended at the beginning of 2001, was £6.6 million.