PUBLIC BUILDINGS, GREAT BRITAIN.— Class I. (Hansard, 18 April 1918)

§ Captain CARR-GOMM
Under subhead (a), New Works, Alterations, Additions and Purchases, there is a sum of £110,000 as against £15,000 for last year for expenditure in respect of sundry public buildings in Great Britain not provided for on other Votes. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will tell us what this sum includes. It is impossible to believe that the cost of the whole of the new Government buildings last year only amounted to £15,000. At the beginning of the year there was great pressure brought in the public Press and in other ways with regard to this matter. The Government solved the matter in the usual manner by appointing a Committee, the Accommodation Committee. Then there is, of course, the Expenditure Committee, which, I presume, has inquired into this expenditure. Then there is a Special Committee presided over by a distinguished Civil servant, Sir John Bradbury, to inquire into the question of staffing by the Government. One reason for the provision of a great number of Government buildings was the necessity for housing the enormous staff which Government Departments had acquired. I have endeavoured by questions to induce the Government to see the necessity for having some result out of all this.

§ Sir A. MOND
On a point of Order. I submit that the Vote under discussion has no connection whatever with the questions raised by the hon. and gallant Member.

§ Captain CARR-GOMM
I wish to ask whether we can have a statement with regard to the method of procedure in selecting the new Government buildings which are taken from time to time by means of commandeering, or else by the erection of temporary buildings. There is in this Vote a sum put down for new buildings and alterations, etc. It is the method which the Government has appointed for meeting the charges brought by the general public against the Government of very largely increasing the cost of public buildings. I wish to ask whether we can have some statement as to what has happened.

§ Sir A. MOND
On the point of Order. There is no amount in this Estimate or in any Estimate as to the question which the hon. and gallant Member mentions.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN
As I understand what the hon. and gallant Member is saying is that he doubts the wisdom of the policy of making these alterations and additions, purchases, and new works, in. view of the Government needs. That comes under "A," and, as far as I heard it, what he has said seems to be quite relevant.

§ Sir A. MOND
These alterations and additions have nothing to do with the question of accommodation, as you will see if you look at page 31, first sub-head. They refer to the erection of a research laboratory for gas fuel.

§ Mr. PRINGLE
Is it not the fact that the only opportunity which we had for discussing these things was the right hon. Gentleman's salary which was rushed through when nobody was listening at the beginning of the sitting.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN
The hon. and gallant Member now in possession was making remarks as to the details set out on page 31.

§ Captain CARR-GOMM
I was not aware that the salary of the right hon. Gentleman had been rushed through at the beginning, or I certainly would have raised these points. As it is, I shall endeavour to get some information about these buildings—the new County Hall, in addition to buildings for Munitions, Air 625 Board, and Ministry of Propaganda—by means of questions, which are the only moans now left.

§ Mr. SPEAKER
A Commission has been ordered for to-night. There may possibly be a Message from the Lords announcing Amendments made by them to the Military Service Bill. I propose to leave the Chair now, and, as soon as the Message arrives, I shall have the bells rung so that hon. Members may know.

§ Mr. WHITEHOUSE
Assuming that any Amendments have been made in the Military Service Bill in another place, shall we have an opportunity of discussing those Amendments?

§ Mr. SPEAKER
Yes. The reason I suggest that the bells should be rung is that hon. Members may have an opportunity of coming into the House, and then we shall hear whether there are any Amendments or not. If there are no Amendments, then there will, possibly, be the Commission.

§ Mr. PRINGLE
If any Amendment of substance arises, will it be in your discretion to consider whether it should be taken then or at what time it should be taken?

§ Mr. SPEAKER
The Order which was passed at the commencement of business to-day evidently contemplates taking Amendments to the Military Service Bill before Eleven o'clock.

§ Mr. PRINGLE
There are alternative Motions, the first of which is that Amendments may be entered upon. Another, standing in the name of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is that this House do sit to-morrow, and the alternative Order is, in view of the possibility which I have suggested, that if there are Amendments of substance proposed by the Lords the House may have an opportunity of considering them, but that if they are verbal Amendments then they would be taken before the Commission, as you have just suggested.

§ Mr. SPEAKER
I think that it would be better to wait and see what Amendments come from the other House. Then, if the Amendments are so serious that the 626 House is not prepared to consider them at once, the Motion to sit to-morrow will be taken, and the House will probably adjourn until to-morrow.

§ Sir W. ESSEX
Would it be possible now, on the suggestion that you do leave the Chair temporarily, to raise any questions that may normally be raised on the Motion for the Adjournment?

§ Mr. SPEAKER
I think that would be a rather unusual procedure. We must wait until the end, when the Question must be put "That this House do now adjourn."

§ Sir W. ESSEX
I am afraid that I have not made my point quite clear. You have suggested that you do now temporarily leave the Chair. Is it open to me on that to raise a question for discussion?

§ Mr. SPEAKER
No; because I do not put any question.

§ Mr. PRINGLE
If the Noble Lord would move the Adjournment it would enable me to make a statement with regard to the subject which I gave notice I would raise on the Motion for Adjournment to-night, and the Motion could then be withdrawn.

§ Lord E. TALBOT (Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)
I beg to move, "That this House do now Adjourn."

§ Mr. PRINGLE
At Question Time, Sir, I put a question to the Prime Minister with reference to the resignation of Major-General Trenchard from his position in the Air Ministry, and owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply which I then received I intimated that I would raise the question upon the Adjournment. The Leader of the House then intimated that he could not be present, that he would not be present, and on that intimation I desire to pass no observations at the present time. I gather, however, that the Leader of the House has since been informed that the Secretary to the Air Ministry will not be here this evening to reply to me. In these circumstances, the Leader of the House would have to come and take part in the Adjournment Debate. He himself has requested me, owing to his position in the mailer, that I should not pursue this on the Adjournment this evening. He has pointed out to me that he himself is not fully conversant with the facts of Major-General Trenchard's resignation, and that consequently any reply he could make would not be satisfactory. He 627 has further represented to me that in his view it would be more satisfactory, if there is to be a discussion, that it should be of more extended import, and is willing, if it should be the general desire, that a whole day should be given to the discussion of this subject. In view of these facts, in view of the position of the Leader of the House on this question, and in view of the promise, under the condition he has mentioned, I do not intend to raise the question now.