§ 24. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will inform the House the total amount it is expected will be expended on the Bombay reclamation scheme; the total amount of the contracts at present placed for this work, together with the names of the contractors who are carrying out the work, and the value of each contract; and can he tell the House the reasons which led the Governor of Bombay to override the decision of the Legislative Council not to proceed with the scheme, and by the exercise of his powers as Governor compel the people of Bombay to finance a scheme the elected authority considered inadvisable?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Earl Winterton)The Sub-Committee of the Advisory Committee appointed by the Government of Bombay thought it safe to assume that if Blocks 1, 2 and 8 are carried to completion, as is proposed, the net expenditure on the scheme, after allowing for receipts, will be something under £2,675,000. The estimates on which this opinion was based are under examination by a committee of engineers. The work is being carried out by the Development Department of the Government of Bombay, and I have not the information asked for by the hon. Member as to contracts placed by that Department. I know of no resolution by the Legislative Council against proceeding with the scheme.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWill the Noble Lord get the information as to who are the contractors carrying out this work, and will he inquire about these Regulations?
§ Earl WINTERTONI can answer the second point at once. What the hon. Member has in mind was a resolution, moved in the Legislative Council but defeated, by the Legislative Council. In regard to the first point, I regret that I did not make it clear in my answer that this work is being carried out by the Development Department of the Government. As regards any sub-con- 15 tracts given by the Department, I have no exact information, but I will endeavour to get it.