§ 9. Sir J. D. REESasked the Undersecretary of State for India whether the sum of £326,340, the estimated cost of providing temporary accommodation at Delhi for the Government of India, will, with the exception of £109,890, which it is estimated will be eventually recovered, be spent on providing accommodation for which there will be no use after the new Imperial capital is built; how the sum of £109,890 will be recovered; and, if the answer to the first question be in the affirmative, whether he will explain the justification of spending so large a sum on providing temporary accommodation when all that is required already exists at Calcutta?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The recovery will be made by the sale of land, etc., and by the transfer of plant, furniture, etc., to the permanent buildings. The justification for the provision of temporary accommodation at Delhi is that the erection of permanent buildings for the Government of India cannot be completed for some years, and it is not desirable to depart from the terms of His Majesty's announcement at the Delhi Durbar by postponing the transfer of the seat of Government.
§ Sir J. D. REESMay I ask the Under-secretary whether he is persuaded that it is desirable to have this very large expenditure for admittedly merely temporary accommodation?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIt was decided to transfer the Government from Calcutta to Delhi; and the provision of accommodation necessarily follows.