Tories demand Dome 'truth'

The Conservative Party is today demanding that the Government make public the details of sale negotiations for the Millennium Dome after it was reported that the site is to be taken off the market and leased.

The call for greater openness coincides with the release of a new figure putting the cost of running the Dome at £21.5million so far this year, including tens of thousands of pounds spent on a PR firm for the empty attraction.

Today Tory Dome spokesman Tim Yeo plans to ask in the Commons for a statement to be made to Parliament about the truth behind the Dome sale. The shadow culture, media and sport secretary, said: "After months of radio silence, where ministers have refused to give any information about the progress on selling the Dome, we now learn that they may be unable to do so after all. We want to know what is going on."

However, the Government says negotiations to sell the Dome are continuing, and dismissed reports that it was to be taken off the market as "rubbish".

A spokesman for the Department of Transport, Local Governmentand the Regions said: "The Dome is still for sale. We don't discuss the process and the situation is that we continue to talk to a number of serious bidders. To say it is not for sale is rubbish."

The latest twist follows reports that the Government has decided against selling the Dome and instead wants to lease it out to private companies. It means the Dome would be kept in public hands while being leased out to private companies.

Among those interested in buying a 10 to 20-year lease on the Greenwich site are UK medical charity the Wellcome Trust and the Meridian Delta consortium.