§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if, having regard to the yearly increasing pressure of Parliamentary duties, he can make arrangements to restore to the 600 unofficial Members, and to deputations of electors desiring to confer with them, the Conference and Correspondence Rooms of which they have been administratively deprived by removing the Public Bill Office elsewhere, or otherwise?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE,) Bradford, CentralI am extremely anxious to do something to improve the accommodation for conferences. The two rooms 1843 now set apart for conferences are rather larger than those previously devoted strictly to that purpose, but are not so conveniently placed, and one of them is invaded by the secretaries of private Members. The Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms informs me that there has been a demand for conferences far beyond the experience of any preceding Session, and that often he has to provide Committee Rooms for several deputations; but these rooms can only be used after 5 p.m. I have recently discovered three rooms which might, I think, be appropriated for deputations, if hon. Members should think them convenient. They are now occupied by the Railway Commission, for administrative purposes. They can be approached from St. Stephen's Hall. The Railway Commissioners are there only by sufferance and might be provided for elsewhere. These rooms belong technically to the House of Lords, but I think arrangements might probably be made for using them for conferences or deputations. I will ask hon. Members to look at these rooms and communicate with me on the subject.