§ MR. EDWIN DE LISLE (Leicestershire, Mid)asked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether Her Majesty's Government will take into consideration the desirability of widening Museum Street, the approach to the British Museum; and, whether, now that the houses at the junction of Museum Street with Hart Street and Oxford Street, formerly abutting St. George's, Bloomsbury, are pulled down, Her Majesty's Government will inquire into the feasibility of acquiring the site of these houses, and of consulting with the Metropolitan Board of Works, with a view of carrying out this improvement?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER (Mr. PLUNKET) (Dublin University)In answer to my hon. Friend I have to say that so far as facilities of traffic are concerned his Question is one rather for the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board 959 of Works than for me. From an architectural point of view I should, of course, be glad to see a better approach to the British Museum. But to carry out his suggestion would cost a large sum of money; and if I had it to spend I would rather apply it to improving the approach to this House, by widening Parliament Street, which now, I may say, separates rather than connects the fine spaces of Whitehall and Westminster.