Commenting on the announcement today by the Assembly Government that the £13.5 million overdraft of the Wales Millennium Centre will be cleared using public money, Shadow Culture Minister Paul Davies has said:

"There is absolutely no doubt that we must continue to support the Wales Millennium Centre. It is a national icon, helping to showcase the best in Welsh arts and culture to the world.

"However, while it is clear the WMC has been an artistic success, the same cannot be said from a commercial point of view.

"It is no good paying off this debt and increasing the revenue support without proper scrutiny of future budgets and financial management.

"We cannot be expected to bail out the Centre every few years, especially using public money. The WMC must stand on its own two feet or it runs the risk of becoming Wales' answer to the Millennium Dome.

"We are also committed to ensuring other arts projects are not penalised as a result of more public money going into the Centre."