House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5 Mar 2001 (pt 23)

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Millennium Dome

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what sums were offered by each founding partner and sponsor of the millennium dome; and what sums have been paid so far by each sponsor, distinguishing cash payments from benefits in kind. [147781]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 30 January 2001]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) achieved a total sponsorship and donation income of £119.7 million, of which the total value-in-kind

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sponsorship was £34.7 million. These figures exclude the direct funding by BT and Ford of the costs of their zones and the extra funding for marketing and promotion spent by a number of sponsors over and above the requirements of their contracts. Actual payments of cash and value-in-kind following detailed and lengthy negotiations are subject to the confidentiality requirements of the contracts between NMEC and the sponsors.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will list the dates on which sponsorship agreements for the faith zone at the millennium dome were agreed, listing in each case the amount and the identity of the sponsor; [148362]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 2 February 2001]: On 3 June 1999 NMEC announced that the faith zone would receive £4 million in sponsorship--£2 million from the Laing Family Trusts (Christian charitable foundations); £1 million from the Hinduja Foundation; and £1 million from other Christian Trusts including the Jerusalem Trust. Agreement with the Hinduja Foundation was confirmed on 16 February 1999. Agreement with the Laing Family Trusts was also confirmed in February 1999. Agreements with other Christian Trusts, including the Jerusalem Trust, were confirmed between January 1999 and August 1999. The terms of their agreements with the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) require that details remain confidential.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) on how many occasions Lord Levy acted on behalf of the New Millennium Experience Company in discussion with potential millennium dome sponsors; [149222]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 6 February 2001]: Lord Levy was asked to help with advice to NMEC on fundraising in June 1998.

According to my Department's records, Lord Levy attended a meeting on one occasion on 29 October 1998 with the then chief executive of NMEC and representatives of the Hindjua Foundation to discuss their potential support of the faith zone in the millennium dome.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much commission was paid for the securing of sponsorship for the dome; and to whom it was paid. [150932]

Janet Anderson: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 February 2001, Official Report, column 537W. IMG provided significant support to the in-house team but did not itself deliver sponsorship. No commission has therefore been paid by the New Millennium Experience Company to third parties for securing sponsorship.

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Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was spent on advertising and promoting the dome. [150928]

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money was received from sponsors of the dome in (a) cash and (b) contributions to the fabric of the dome or its exhibits. [150922]

Janet Anderson: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) achieved a total sponsorship and donation income, including cash and value-in-kind of £119.7 million. This figure excludes the direct funding by BT and Ford of the costs of their zones and the extra funding for marketing and promotion spent by a number of sponsors over and above the requirements of their contracts. Taken together, the overall sponsorship and donations relevant to the dome is estimated at £150 million--the most ever raised for a single event in the UK. Sponsorship received contributed to the overall budget of the project not just to the exhibits and other structures.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what professional fees were paid to (a) lawyers and (b) accountants for the dome (i) up to its closure and (ii) since its closure. [150927]

Janet Anderson: The figure provided by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is subject to the company's necessary external audit scrutiny. That work will begin shortly and will inform the content of the company's annual report and financial statements for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000. The report and statements will be published in due course. NMEC has advised that expenditure on legal firms for a range of professional advice, including contractual and sponsorship issues, was £3.8 million for the period February 1997 to 31 December 2000. Expenditure for the period 1 January 2001 to 16 February 2001 was £576,000 net.

Expenditure on accounting firms for a range of professional advice including tax, audit, IT, management support and accounting was £5.8 million net for the period February 1997 to December 2000. Expenditure for the period 1 January 2001 to 16 February 2001 was £729,000 net. Both the legal and accountancy figures for post-December 2000 represent payments made against invoices received after 31 December 2000. Those invoices cover some work undertaken prior to 31 December. In particular, the expenditure reflects the detailed and comprehensive review of all the contracts undertaken by the NMEC, and also reflects the management and finance support provided to the company's executive. Both of these areas of work are essential to the successful implementation of the company's programme to achieve solvent liquidation.

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Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost of the exhibits in the dome was to NMEC; and what percentage of the costs of exhibits were paid by the sponsors. [150931]

Janet Anderson: The figure provided by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is subject to the company's necessary external audit scrutiny. That work will begin shortly and will inform the content of the company's annual report and financial statements for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000. The report and statements will be published in due course. NMEC has advised that the total cost of the exhibits was £95 million. This figure excludes the millennium show and exhibit zone foundation and heavy steel works, the costs of which are reflected in dome construction costs. It includes the costs of those staff within the department of NMEC that had responsibility for the exhibits. It is not possible to identify the costs paid by sponsors in the way requested. Sponsorship received contributed to the overall budget of the project, not just to the exhibits and other structures.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the final construction costs of the dome were. [150930]

ASHA Project

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the Millennium Commission's funding of the ASHA project. [151927]

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.

BBC

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 14 February 2001, Official Report, column 133W, if the to-date costs for BBC Choice, BBC Knowledge and BBC News 24 were approved in principle with the BBC. [152364]

Janet Anderson: No. Budgets for individual services are not subject to Government approval.

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