HC Deb 24 July 1913 vol 55 cc2378-80

Considered in Committee.

[Mr. MACLEAN in the Chair.]

Resolution reported, That it is expedient to authorise the purchase and maintenance, by the Commissioners of Works, out of Moneys to be Provided by Parliament., of Monuments within the meaning of any Act of the present Session to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Ancient Monuments, and the payment of any Expenses which may be incurred thereunder.

Mr. HOGGE

Will all this money be spent by the Ancient. Monuments Board, or will the separate Advisory Board in Scotland receive any share of it?

Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN (Lord of the Treasury)

This Money Resolution is not necessitated by the expenses of any Board, but because the definition of ancient monuments is extended by this Bill, and the Money Resolution which covers the existing Acts does not cover the Bill.

Mr. BOOTH

Can my hon. Friend give me any idea of the amount of money to which we are being committed?

Mr. BENN

There is no definite commitment. It merely means that the Commissioners have power to take certain monuments which otherwise they would not have the power to do, and any expenditure will be regulated by Estimates which will appear before Parliament every year.

Mr. BOOTH

Surely we can have an estimate of the cost of what is projected by this Bill.

Mr. BENN

The Bill extends the definition of ancient monuments, and the Commissioners may issue an order with reference to any monument under the Bill. When that order has been made it has to be passed through all its stages in this House, and moreover the money has to appear on the Estimates of the Commissioners of Works, and if my hon. Friend thinks it necessary to move a reduction then he can do so. It is not possible now to say how much the money will be because we do not know what monuments it will be proposed to take over.

Mr. BOOTH

Will my hon. Friend inform the Committee whether already that Department has decided to include some ancient monuments they have in view. The object of this Bill is not merely to appear before the House in a grandiloquent way, but for a definite practical object. Surely they have got some monuments in their purview which they have decided to buy.

Mr. BENN

We have not any particular monuments in view. We have an in spector who recommends monuments of which it might be necessary for us to assume the guardianship, and if we did so the expenditure on repairs would come under this order.

Resolution agreed to; to be reported tomorrow (Friday).