§ Mr. GaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the cost of maintaining the Millennium Dome, including security costs, has been(a) since its closure and (b) in each of the last three months for which figures are available. [58605]
§ Ms KeebleSince 31 December 2000, when the Millennium Experience ended, the cost of management, maintenance and security of the Dome has been £3.9 million, of which £1.9 million was incurred by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and £2 million by English Partnerships (EP). This includes the final figures for expenditure in December 2001, January and February 2002, which are £266,000, £251,000 509W and £287,000 respectively. However, the January and February figures exclude telecommunications costs, which await final confirmation due to on-going delays by the service provider particularly in transferring accounts formerly held by NMEC to EP.
Costs incurred by NMEC have been paid from the grant already approved by the Millennium Commission. EP costs are from their normal budget and will be recovered from eventual sale proceeds.