§ MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe)To ask the hon. Member for North Derbyshire, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, what are the dates fixed by contract for the completion of the various public buildings in Whitehall, Parliament Street, and South Kensington; and is such progress being made with the respective contracts as to ensure their readiness for the public service by the specified dates.
546 (Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) In answer to the first part of the Question, the dates for the completion of the contracts for the fabrics of the respective buildings are as follows:—New War-Office 26th June, 1906; New Public Offices in Parliament Street, 1st June, 1907; Royal College of Science, 1st June, 1905; Victoria and Albert Museum, 23rd February, 1907; Admiralty (Block III.) (say) 30th June, 1906. (Contract about to be made for superstructure.) With regard to the second query, I have to say that such progress is being made with the above works as to justify an assumption that they will be completed by the specified dates. In some cases it is possible that the fittings will not all be finished, but every effort will be made to avoid delay.