§ 96. Brigadier-General Sir OWEN THOMASasked the First Commissioner of Works whether the Wheat Commission relinquished occupation of rooms 70, 72, 73, and 74, on the sixth floor of Carlton House Regent Street S. W., on the 24th October, 1919 and that they have since been empty; whether the rent is still being paid by His Majesty's Government for such rooms; and, if so, whether this apparent waste of public money is due to the fact that His Majesty's Office of Works, in spite of repeated applications by the landlord, are unable to hand over the premises to him for use of waiting tenants by reason of the Wheat Commission still neglecting officially to inform His Majesty's Office of Works that the rooms have been vacated?
§ The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Sir Alfred Mond)I must apologise for not being present earlier. The Wheat Commission vacated rooms NOS. 70 and 74 on the sixth floor of Carlton House on the 24th ultimo, but not rooms Nos. 72 and 73, which are still in their occupation. Compensation is still being paid to the landlord in respect of the two vacant rooms, which were un-tenanted when requisitioned arid which are still being retained to enable a rearrangement of staff to be effected, so that four other rooms can be surrendered which were tenanted when requisitioned and to which the dispossessed tenants now desire to return.
§ Sir O. THOMASThese rooms are vacant and the Government are paying rent. Will the right hon, entleman see that the tenants who want these rooms got them as soon os possible?
§ Sir A. MONDThose rooms are being retained vacant at the moment—they are not required by the tenants—to enable the tenants whose rooms are being used to return to their premises as soon as possible.