Mandelson denies secrecy over dome

Critics claim the Millennium Dome is shrouded in secrecy

Peter Mandelson, the minister in charge of the Millennium Dome, has denied sitting on financial information about the controversial Greenwich project.

The Minister without Portfolio faced flak in the House of Commons as he took eight minutes of questions on the costs of the project.

But responding to attacks from both sides of the House, Mr Mandelson also defended his trip to Florida to learn from the Disney Corporation.

It was the first time Mr Mandelson had been quizzed at the despatch box since it was revealed on January 9 that Stephen Bailey, the man in charge of the dome's design, had resigned.

Labour left-winger Diane Abbott demanded the minister made public the New Millennium Experience Company's interim accounts for the £750m dome because it was being part funded by the public purse.

Peter Mandelson defends the Dome at the despatch box

But Mr Mandelson said: "All the information that such a non-departmental public body needs to make available will be made available.

"As for the other financial and contractual information, an enormous amount of information was made available to a select committee of this House."

Shadow Culture Secretary Francis Maude called for Mr Mandelson to reveal details of meetings between the Millennium Experience Company and the Disney Corporation.

"The select committee of this House urged us to take advice and consult with the acknowledged world leaders in entertainment," said Mr Mandelson.

He said he had visited Florida "not to import ideas about their attractions to this country but because I wanted to talk to them about managing the flow of visitors, catering and internal transport".

He added that Michael Heseltine, the former Deputy Prime Minister, backed the way he was running the project.

Mr Heseltine had said it was a "difficult and controversial" project but the Minister without Portfolio was doing the best he could, Mr Mandelson told the House.