WELSH Conservatives today demanded open, transparent, comprehensive reports on the Assembly Government's efforts to tackle a financial crisis at the Wales Millennium Centre.

With more than £60mn of public money spent on building the Cardiff Bay arts centre ministers must keep the National Assembly fully informed about efforts to resolve its £13mn debts.

Welsh Conservatives believe that while the centre needs support, any financial aid cannot come at the expense of other projects across Wales which may receive money from the Assembly's culture budget.

A robust business plan must be made by the WMC before any support from the Assembly Government can be considered, Welsh Conservatives said today.

The party has also repeated its belief that the Assembly Government suppressed a report into the centre because ministers wanted to bury bad news before May's elections.

A statement on negotiations between the WMC and Assembly Government is due from the Heritage Minister tomorrow following a meeting last night.

The Leader of the Official Opposition Nick Bourne AM said: "I am extremely concerned by the wall of silence erected by the Assembly Government on this issue.

"While I accept there are matters of commercial sensitivity which must be observed, we have heard precious little from ministers to reassure either the Wales Millennium Centre or the people who use it.

"There is a growing culture of secrecy and silence at the heart of this administration which concerns me greatly.

"We need open, transparent and comprehensive reports about what the government is doing to help the WMC out of this situation."

Shadow Culture Minister and Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies said: "The Wales Millennium Centre is the centrepiece of our nation's cultural and artistic talent.

"We support every effort to help it out of its current difficulties - but need to be fully involved and informed.

"A vast amount of public money has already been spent on this project. Any proposals to spend more of it on the centre must only come following a robust and workable business plan.

"Any proposal to use public money to support the WMC must not come at the expense of other projects across Wales."