§ MR. J. G. TALBOTasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether any of the recommendations of the Select Committee which inquired last Session into the ventilation of the House have been carried out; and, whether he proposes to move the re-appointment of the Committee, in accordance with the suggestion made in their Report?
§ MR. HERBERT GLADSTONEAccording to the recommendation of the Select Committee, the Local Authority has closed the ventilation gratings of the sewer in the roadway to the west of Westminster Hall. In accordance also with the suggestion of the Committee, the President of the Local Government Board directed Major Tulloch to inspect and report on the sewerage arrangements of the Houses of Parliament. Major Tulloch, who probably had not sufficient time at his disposal to make an exhaustive examination, advised that certain alterations should be made. The expediency of these proposals was doubted by the officers responsible for the drainage system; and a protracted and complete examination, accompanied by numerous and careful experiments on the movement of the air in the main sewer, under the personal superintendence of Mr. Prim, has confirmed the doubt. Sir Robert Rawlinson, the Chief Engineering Inspector of the Local Government Board, has, on behalf of his Board, made an additional Report, which does not bear out the opinions expressed by Major Tulloch. A complete Report, containing a detailed account of all the experimental data which have been obtained, will very shortly be completed. I may add that, so far as the drainage system of the Houses of Parliament is concerned, the results of the inquiries are extremely re-assuring. It does not at present appear that there is any reason for the re-appointment of the Select Committee.