Written question asked by Harry Cohen (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 June 2008. It was answered by Gerry Sutcliffe (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Millennium Dome: Expenditure

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost to the public purse was of the construction and operation of the millennium dome; what assessment he has made of the value for money provided by that expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The cost to the public purse of the construction and operation of the millennium dome was nil. The construction and operation of the dome was funded from national lottery grant from the Millennium Commission and income from ticket sales and sponsorship, not from Exchequer funding.It is a matter of public record that the dome was completed on time, that the final cost was just 4 per cent. over budget, that it was by far the most visited paying attraction in the UK in the year 2000 and that it helped regenerate a wide area.I am advised that English Partnerships spent £33 million of Exchequer funding on decommissioning and maintenance of the millennium dome structure between 1999 and June 2007, with the expectation that these costs will be recovered from sale proceeds from the contract for the future use of the dome and redevelopment of associated land over the life of the project.

Secondary information