Millennium Dome (Hansard, 26 June 2002)

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in respect of the disposal of the Millennium Dome and its surroundings, there was any transfer of liability for any future damages due to any possible contamination of the site. [HL4646]

§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)
As owner, English Partnerships (EP), the Government's regeneration 137WA agency, remediated their land on the Greenwich penninsula, as necessary, including the Dome site, in accordance with requirements of the London Borough of Greenwich and the Environment Agency.
As part of the agreement between EP and MDL, MDL and any other prospective developers will be assuming liabilities arising from the works that they undertake on the land. Land will be drawn down for development against specific projects, and an environmental deed and method statement will control all construction activity. Any issues surrounding liability for possible contamination will be addressed as an integral part of each commercial transaction. Any residual liability will be covered by environmental insurance policies.

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the basis for the priority return to be paid to Anschutz on the share of profits of the Dome; and how it will be calculated. [HL4729]

§ Lord Rooker
Anschutz Entertainment Group will receive a priority return from the Dome in order to reflect the £200 million investment that will be made in the Dome. The details of the priority return are commercially confidential. Of the £200 million, approximately £135 million will be for the arena, funded by Anschutz Entertainment Group; and up to £65 million will be for the Dome waterfront area, inside and adjoining the Dome, funded by the joint venture between Meridian Delta Limited and Anschutz Entertainment Group.
Full details of the deal between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Limited are being made available to the National Audit Office, which is conducting an examination of the process leading up to the recent exchange of contracts and of the details of the deal between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Limited and Anschutz Entertainment Group.

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have agreed a payment with British Gas for its 7.5 per cent entitlement to the sale proceeds of the land at the Dome site. [HL4730]

§ Lord Rooker
Discussions between English Partnerships and British Gas are continuing.

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect the Millennium Commission to start receiving repayments of the monies it provided for the Dome. [HL4731]

§ Lord Rooker
English Partnerships and the lottery will receive a fair split of the proceeds from the sale of the Dome and land on the Greenwich peninsula. No decisions have yet been made on the split, including timing.

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much English Partnerships have invested in the Dome and Greenwich peninsula. [HL4733]
138WA

§ Lord Rooker
English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, has so far invested some £237 million in the regeneration of the 300 acres of the Greenwich peninsula which it acquired from British Gas in 1997. This figure is made up of:

£20.5 million Purchase of the site;

£185.5 million Preparing the overall site for development, including remediation and infrastructure, and including the Millennium Village;

£11.7 million New primary school and health centre; and

£19.2 million Expenditure on the Dome itself, including running costs since July 2001, decommissioning in preparation for future use, and the cost of the process for securing a future use.

§ Viscount Astor
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they expect English Partnerships to pay to the Millennium Commission its full share of proceeds from the development of the Dome site during the lifetime of the Millennium Commission; and, if not, what arrangements will be made for any remaining remittances. [HL4734]

§ Lord Rooker
This is a matter to be discussed during consideration of the division of proceeds from the deal between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Limited and Anschutz Entertainment Group. The division of proceeds between English Partnerships and the lottery has not been finally agreed. A fair split will be worked out, and an announcement made in due course.

£20.5 million	Purchase of the site;
£185.5 million	Preparing the overall site for development, including remediation and infrastructure, and including the Millennium Village;
£11.7 million	New primary school and health centre; and
£19.2 million	Expenditure on the Dome itself, including running costs since July 2001, decommissioning in preparation for future use, and the cost of the process for securing a future use.