Urgent statement will keep WMC debt crisis in spotlight

2.18.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Oct 2007

Jenny Randerson has called for an urgent statement.

Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent statement from Culture Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas over the cover-up of debt problems at Wales' leading arts venue.

It was revealed last week that the Wales Millennium Centre has a £13.5m debt and that auditors fear it could become insolvent. Former Culture Minister Jenny Randerson has requested an urgent statement on the issue for tomorrow's plenary session.

She said: "The Government has sat on this issue long enough - now we need to hear from the Minister what is going on.

"When we developed the financial plan for the WMC it should have been able to operate within the subsidy we planned. We need to know why that's not the case. Is it that the subsidy is less than we anticipated it would need to be, or that the WMC has failed to meet its private capital target?

"I hope the Minister will not continue to keep the Assembly - which is underwriting the debt - in the dark."

Cardiff Central AM Mrs Randerson was Minister for culture during the Partnership Government up to May 2003. The centre opened in November of the following year.

"When I was minister I made sure that the culture committee were fully aware of the financial issues involved with the WMC. Alun Pugh seems to have preferred keeping it in the dark," Mrs Randerson added.

"I hope the new Minister will switch the house lights back on tomorrow."

Ends/diwedd.