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New Millennium Experience Company

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many different accounting systems have been operated by the New Millennium Experience Company. [135412]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 30 October 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that it has operated one accounting system--SUN Accounting.

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Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value is of professional fees paid, or contracted to be paid, by the New Millennium Experience Company for (a) accountancy and (b) legal advice since 1 January. [134596]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 26 October 2000]: On accountancy fees paid, I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 26 October, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that total payments to legal firms between 1 January 2000 and 30 September 2000 were £674,070. The firms who undertook work for the NMEC during this period were Simmons and Simmons, Eversheds, Norton Rose, Masons, Bird and Bird, Fenwick Elliot and Harbottles. Payments to legal firms over the six months from 30 September are estimated at up to £1.5 million. The higher costs for these six months reflect the legal requirements involved in the necessary contractual reviews to ensure that all actual and contingent liabilities are identified and all benefits to the company are crystallised. In addition to the firms noted above, Berwin Leighton are supporting and advising the Executive Chairman and the new management team on close-out, contract review and legacy issues.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the principal creditors of the New Millennium Experience Company. [134615]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 26 October 2000]: I am informed by NMEC that as at 24 November 2000, the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) had six suppliers with agreed ledger balances above £100,000. In all cases the payment is either not yet due, or is being made debt in accordance with an agreed payment plan. The six are BT plc, London Borough of Greenwich, Inland Revenue, Contributions Agency, Ash Corporate Finance (Stratford Park and Ride site), and Edwin Shirley Staging. There are six other suppliers claiming amounts from NMEC in excess of £100,000 but in these cases contract finalisation has not yet been completed and, consequently, ledger balances have not been agreed.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what issues delayed the payment by Tesco to the New Millennium Experience Company of the £500,000 due for payment on 1 March; and if he will place in the Library copies of all correspondence between Tesco and NMEC relating to this matter. [135737]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 31 October 2000]: The principal reason for the delay was Tesco's concern to have certainty that the Millennium Experience at the Dome would run until 31 December 2000. Following the Millennium Commission's award of an additional £47 million National Lottery grant in September, the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) was able to provide the level of comfort sought by Tesco on the project's closure date. All sponsorship money owed by

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Tesco was paid to NMEC on 30 October. NMEC considers that the correspondence between the two parties on this matter is commercially confidential.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when NMEC was first requested by the Dome chief executive to undertake a detailed examination of the finances of the Millennium Dome; and when this was (a) begun and (b) completed. [139035]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has regularly reviewed its financial position since its inception. Immediately after PY Gerbeau's arrival on 7 February 2000, he instituted a full internal review of the Millennium Experience project budget and finances. This comprehensive review was completed in early April. The NMEC board subsequently commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to undertake a wider review of the company's finances, including closure costs. This review was completed on 22 August.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the board of the New Millennium Experience Company has met since 1 January, indicating in each case the length of the meeting. [139036]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The board of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has met 19 times between 1 January 2000 and 21 November 2000. The individual meeting dates and the duration of those meetings was as follows:

Date	Duration
18 January	2 hours, 45 minutes
31 January	1 hour, 35 minutes
24 February	2 hours, 30 minutes
21 March	3 hours
18 April	2 hours, 45 minutes
2 May	1 hour, 30 minutes
18 May	2 hours, 30 minutes
23 May	1 hour, 30 minutes
20 June	3 hours, 30 minutes
5 July	3 hours, 45 minutes
14 July	3 hours
1 August	3 hours, 30 minutes
7 August	3 hours
22 August	4 hours, 30 minutes
5 September	2 hours
12 September	1 hour
21 September	3 hours, 30 minutes
19 October	3 hours, 45 minutes
21 November	2 hours, 30 minutes

Cabinet War Rooms

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about recent flood damage to the Cabinet War Rooms; and if he will list the items (a) destroyed and (b) damaged by the flooding of the Cabinet War Rooms. [140136]

Mr. Alan Howarth: As a result of particularly heavy overnight rainfall, water was found to be coming into the Cabinet War Rooms when the site was opened on the morning of 30 October. Water to a depth of approximately 2 inches was lying in the main corridor, and other areas were showing signs of water ingress. Prompt action was

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taken to remove vulnerable items and to protect, with an impermeable covering, areas of risk. Work to dry out the site was begun immediately. The War Rooms were re-opened to the public as normal on 1 November.

No items were destroyed. There has been minimal damage to a few items. This includes: some items from the Map Room; Winston Churchill's blotter; other paper items such as wartime telephone books; and the carpet in Winston Churchill's room. It is expected that none of these will suffer any lasting damage, although specialist conservation work will be required to be undertaken on some of these items.

Research Organisations

Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research organisations are owned by his Department; and what their budgets are for the year 2000-01. [R] [140154]

Mr. Chris Smith: My Department owns no research organisations, though research activity is undertaken, commissioned and co-ordinated both by my Department and by the non-departmental public bodies funded by it.

EU Culture and Audio Council

Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the outcome was of the Culture and Audio Council held in Brussels on 23 November; and if he will make a statement. [140686]

Mr. Alan Howarth: I represented the United Kingdom at the Culture/Audiovisual Council held in Brussels on 23 November. Agreement was reached on the proposed MEDIA Plus programme to encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European films and training for professionals in the audio-visual sector. Under the new programme--for which a budget of euro 400 million (approximately £240 million) was agreed--British audiovisual companies will be able to seek European Union funding for projects, including initiatives with other European partners. The Council will now seek the formal agreement of the European Parliament to the training component of the programme.

The Council also discussed the important role of public sector broadcasting in the European Union, state aid for the EU film and audiovisual industries, book pricing and the importance of promoting high quality public buildings and improving public awareness of good architecture and design in the built environment.

A report of the Council meeting has been prepared and I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses once it has been translated into English.

Millennium Commission

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of people who will have visited the Millennium Commission's sponsored events by the end of the year; and if he will make a statement. [140764]

Mr. Chris Smith: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

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