§ MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, what steps, beyond the purchase of the site, have been taken towards the erection of the new Custom House at Cardiff; and when it is expected to be completed; whether the temporary offices at Bute Docks have been made use of to the extent anticipated by the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce in their representations to the Department; if he can state the amount of expenditure in connection with these temporary offices up to the present time and the estimated further expenditure during the erection of the new Custom House, and whether any provision has been or is intended to be made by the Treasury to meet it, or whether it is proposed that these public offices shall be maintained by private subscriptions; and, whether there is any precedent for such a proposal?
§ * MR. HANBURYThe plans for the new buildings have been completed and are now in course of final settlement. There has been some delay owing to questions arising as to windows overlooking the site, but these are now practically settled, and I hope the new buildings may be completed in about a year's time. The Board of Customs believe that the temporary offices at the docks have been largely used. The arrangement is not merely proposed, but was actually settled last year in concert with the hon. Member for Cardiff at the request of the local merchants and shipowners, and has been in force some months. Under that arrangement the locality pays the £85 per annum rent and cost of heating and lighting the temporary offices, while the Government bears the cost of cleaning and of establishing messenger and telephonic communication with the Custom House proper. I do not see how the question of precedent comes in. The matter is a simple bargain, and as I have already informed the hon. Member it would be obviously unfair to charge the taxpayer with the cost of two custom houses.