§ MR. O. V. MORGAN (Battersea)asked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he will, in future, give to tenants of Crown Estates further facilities for acquiring the freeholds of their leasehold interests, or extend the term of leases to 999 years, as is common in the North of England?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER (Mr. PLUNKET) (Dublin University)The only lands under the control of the Office of Works to which the Question applies are those at Battersea. In 1883 the First Commissioner of Works was advised by Sir Henry Hunt, who was then our consulting surveyor, that it was not desirable, in the interests of the Crown property at Battersea, that the ground rents or reversions should be sold, and that advice has hitherto been followed. I am not aware that any proposal has 414 been made by any of our tenants to extend the terms of their leases to 999 years. Of course, any such proposals, if made, would be considered on their merits.