HC Deb 10 February 1881 vol 258 c484
SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

asked the First Commissioner of Works, If he will consider the possibility of obviating the great variations in the heat of this House, and the excessive heat experienced on some comparatively mild days?

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE

Sir, the Question of my hon. Friend appears to assume that there has recently been considerable variations in the temperature of this House. I am satisfied he is mistaken in this. The temperature is noted and recorded every hour in two parts of the House. The record for the past three weeks shows that a very uniform temperature has been maintained in the House, even during the inclement weather outside. It has never varied more than 4 degrees—namely, from 61 to 65. In the 41 hours' Sitting, on the 1st of February the temperature of the House at the Chair varied according to the record from 61 to 64, and at the Bar from 61 to 65, changing very slowly. This, I think, does very great credit to the officers responsible for the ventilation. An hon. Friend of mine, who closely watched the thermometers during that Sitting, fully confirms this. I believe it would be impossible by any other process to obtain a more equable temperature than this.