§ MR. JENNINGS (Stockport)asked the Secretary of State for War, If it is the fact that an important freehold property, being the site of Cambridge House and grounds at Portsmouth, belonging to the Government, which is the only available land between the Portsmouth Town Station and the Dockyard, is to be offered for sale by public auction early in August, contrary to the strongly expressed opinion of the Officer Commanding the Royal Engineers at Portsmouth, the General Commanding the 361 Southern. District, and, it is understood, the Inspector General of Fortifications; if so, on what grounds is this sale to take place; what, if any, reserve price has been placed upon the property; and is there any objection to place the opinions of the Commanding Officers in question upon the Table for the information of Members; and, will the proceeds of the sale, should it take place, be applied to the purposes of the Army Estimates, as an appropriation in aid, or how will the money be dealt with when received?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)Cambridge House, Portsmouth, is being sold in accordance with competent professional advice. A portion of the property will shortly be offered for sale in lots; but the manner of disposing of the remainder is not yet decided. My hon. Friend being a great advocate of economy, would, I should have thought, have agreed in thinking it absurd that the residence of the officer commanding the Royal Engineers at Portsmouth should occupy the whole of a property for which we have already been offered the inadequate sum of £30,000. The proceeds of the sale will be applied as an appropriation in aid.