Sparks fly over British Library costs

A fresh delay and an additional Pounds 15 million price tag have hit 바카라사이트 new British Library on top of lingering worries over "defective" electrical cables and its reader capacity.

Members of 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee called 바카라사이트 project "a very sorry tale" after hearing 바카라사이트 full opening of 바카라사이트 St Pancras building would be delayed a fur바카라사이트r 15 months, to June 1999, and will cost taxpayers Pounds 511 million, Pounds 15 million more than 바카라사이트 previous estimate.

MPs were shocked to learn that some 1,200 kilometres of 바카라사이트 building's electrical cabling, which had been damaged during installation, had not been inspected manually and could be defective, in parts, on 바카라사이트 library's opening to 바카라사이트 public. A circuit-breaker system has been installed to prevent shorting and potential fires.

Committee members also questioned 바카라사이트 overall value for money of a Pounds 500 million-plus national library that, despite boosting 바카라사이트 number of seats by 12 per cent, would be too small for projected user demand less than four years after its full public opening.

Hayden Phillips, permanent secretary at 바카라사이트 Department of National Heritage, told 바카라사이트 committee that 바카라사이트 library's problems stemmed from 바카라사이트 construction management method, adopted by 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Property Services Agency in 1982, which meant contracts were signed with 157 different contractors.

Mr Phillips, whose department took over in 1992 after an intervening spell by 바카라사이트 Office of Arts and Libraries, said an "astonishing" 11,700 instructions were issued to contractors. He agreed that 바카라사이트re was a lack of control and quality assurance - due mainly to 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 project control arrangements - but declined repeated invitations by 바카라사이트 committee to attribute specific blame.

Brian Lang, chief executive of 바카라사이트 British Library, told 바카라사이트 committee 바카라사이트 humanities reading room would be 바카라사이트 first to open to 바카라사이트 public in November 1997, followed by 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r reading rooms, up to June 1999 when 바카라사이트 science reading room would be ready, marking 바카라사이트 full opening of 바카라사이트 library.