§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether it is the case that the Edison Company have lighted the dining-rooms and smoking-room of the House of Commons, at their own expense, free of any charge to the public, or whether the Board of Works have agreed to pay the Company for the expenses of lighting during the Session; if the latter, whether the work of lighting the rooms aforesaid was put out to contract, and whether tenders were called for from any other Electric Lighting Company; and, if not, if he would explain the reason; and, whether he will undertake that, before any further arrangements are concluded for the lighting by electricity of the Houses of Parliament, or of any part of them, the business shall be open to tenders in a manner similar to all other Government contracts?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREThe Edison Company offered, as an experiment— supplying the whole plant themselves— to light the Library and Dining Rooms of this House at a cost to the Government something less than the cost of the gas which is at present consumed.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLWhat is the cost?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREUnder £100 less. I thought, on the whole, it would be interesting to Members to try the experiment, and I am under no further obligation to the Company. With respect to the future, I shall, towards the end of the Session, consult the wishes of Members before making any permanent 427 arrangement. In the present state of Electric Lighting, I do not think it a fit subject for competition. After careful consideration, I did not think it wise to act on this principle when I introduced the Swan system of lighting into the Law Courts.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLwished to know whether the Edison Company had not already, for some considerable time, been lighting the Post Office; and whether, as far as that experiment was concerned, the Company had not given complete satisfaction; and, secondly, whether, before the Law Courts were lighted by the Swan Company, tenders were received from the Siemens, Edison, and Swan Companies?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREI received no tenders from any of the Companies named. After careful inquiry I invited the Swan Company to tender, and I accepted their tender. The Edison Company had lighted the Post Office, and it was mainly in consequence of their success there that I accepted their suggestion to light the Library and Dining Rooms of the House of Commons.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLI beg to give Notice that on the Vote for the Houses of Parliament, which I believe is the next in the Civil Service Estimates, I shall call attention to this subject.
§ VISCOUNT FOLKESTONEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether he proposes to extend the application of the electric system of lighting to this Chamber; also, will he say if there would be any difficulty in placing an electric lamp at the top of the Tower, instead of the very dark gas lamp which is there now?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRENo, Sir; there is no such intention.
§ MR. R. N. FOWLERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the light on the Clock Tower went out the other night?
§ [No reply was given.]