§ MR. JEFFREYS (Hants, Basingstoke)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Hampshire County Council sent plans for additional cells to the police station at Aldershot and for a new police station at Farnborough some six months ago to the Home Office for approval, and that the County Council has not yet, received any answer to that application: whether he is aware that additional accommodation is greatly required in the above-named places; and whether he will use his influence to prevent any further delay?
§ MR. ASQUITHIn the event of a Local Authority desiring to raise a loan to defray the cost of the erection or improvement of a police station it is necessary to obtain the approval not only of the Secretary of State, but also that of the Local Government Board. The plans in question having been received from the Hampshire County Council in August, 1893, by the Secretary of State for the Homo Department were, after consideration by the Surveyor General of Prisons, forwarded to the Local Government Board, and the final approval of the suggested alterations has been deferred pending the usual inquiry by the Local Government Board, and such inquiry has been delayed owing to the omission of the clerk of the county to supply the Local Government Board with the information asked for in repeated communications from that Department.