§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to bring forward any measure during the present Session for the purpose of carrying into effect the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Miscellaneous Expenditure, so far as they suggested a transfer of all public works (save those for Naval and Military purposes) to one Department, and the appointment of a permanent Commissioner of Works?
§ MR. AUGUSTUS SMITHsaid, he wished to know whether, in case the Government determine on giving effect to the recommendation of the Committee, they will lay a measure upon the subject before the House.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, he did not then remember the whole of the recommendations of the Committee to which the noble Lord referred. But he believed that almost all the public buildings, except those of a Military or a Naval character, were at present under the supervision of the First Commissioner of Public Works. With regard, however, to the main drift of the question, whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to appoint a permanent head of the Department of Works, he certainly was not prepared to say that the Government had any such intention. That would withdraw from responsibility in that House the chief direction of the works on public buildings, and he thought that would not be advisable. In the first place, it would deprive many hon. Members of the agreeable opportunity they at present possessed of criticising the conduct of the Chief Commissioner, and of having a regular battle with his proposals. It would also be unconstitutional, inasmuch as it would withdraw from that House the control over a considerable portion of the public expenditure.