§ 35. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, what electricity staff is on duty in the Houses of Parliament each day after 6 p.m.; and what precautions are taken against the failure of the lighting system?
Lieut.-Colonel Sir VIVIAN HENDER-SON (for The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS)The electrical staff on duty at the Houses of Parliament from 6 p.m. until the House rises consists of a foreman and two electricians. As regards the second part of the question, apart from arrangements which have been made for alternative sources of supply, everything possible is done to ensure that the installation within the building itself is in perfect order. The electric wiring throughout the building is also being gradually renewed, and the likelihood of a failure is practically negligible.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINIs it not a fact that when the breakdown occurred last week the chief engineer and electrical foreman had left the House, having completed their duties, and that the whole of the engineering services were under a mechanical foreman, who naturally was not an expert on the subject of electricity?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not a fact that the lighting was affected not alone in this House, but in the whole of Westminster?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONThe chief engineer is not a resident engineer, though he used to be one, and it is not now considered necessary that he should be. The point is that the failure of the electric light in the House the other night had nothing whatever to do with whether or not there was a staff here. It was due to a defect in the power station, which in no way could have been avoided by the staff being here.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINI quite agree with that, but is it not a fact that the House was under a mechanical foreman, that there was no electrical foreman on the spot at the time, and that in future we might have a breakdown in the wiring system of the House itself?
§ Mr. LAWSONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman arrange for the same thing to happen when the Unemployment Insurance Bill is being discussed?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWould it not be very much better if we had an auxiliary dynamo in this building in case of another breakdown?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONI answered that question on Monday, when I said that my Noble Friend had already considered this question two years ago, and, in view of the passing since that date of the Electricity Supply Act, it does not appear now to be necessary.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that very many of the largest hotels in London have their own separate auxiliary lighting dynamos, and surely we ought to have one?
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKNeed the House of Commons be afraid as long as the hon. member for Acton (Sir H. Brittain) opposite is ready to supply us with candles?
§ Mr. HARDIEIs it not a fact that, as stated in the answer given last, since the passing of a certain Act there is no need to put a dynamo or a separate plant in this House, and is it not also a fact that what has taken place already was due to the Act passed by Parliament last year?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONThat is quite true. There was an unfortunate collection of circumstances which are not likely to occur again.
§ Mr. HARDIESeeing that the Act has failed, what preparations are the Government going to make to prevent further failures?