§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her head office intends holding a public open day. [15356]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 16 November 2001]: The Department has a good record of heritage involvement and has opened the doors of Nobel House, its Grade 2* listed headquarters on Millbank, for the Open House event over the past few years. This has been favourably received by about 2,500 visitors, for whom officials have laid on guided tours, exhibitions and a brochure. This takes considerable pre-planning and unfortunately we could not open the building in September 2001 because of the pressures of foot and mouth disease. We intend to open Nobel House again in the future.