HC Deb 02 March 1920 vol 126 cc321-3

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a supplementary sum, not exceeding £3,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1920, for expenditure in respect of Houses of Parliament Buildings.

Viscount CURZON

I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman in charge of this Vote for an explanation as to the increased charge for fuel on the year in connection with the engineering arrangements. Certain hon. Members of the House are under the impression, I believe, that the Lord Chancellor's bath, which was thrown out by the Committee last year, has been reinserted. That, they think, accounts for the increased cost of fuel heating the water for that bath.

Sir A. MOND

The bath has never been reinserted following its rejection by the Committee last year. The explanation of the increase is of a more prosaic character. It is not a question of increased quantity, but of increased price.