HC Deb 11 February 1931 vol 248 cc376-8
69. Mr. MATHERS

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he has now reached agreement with the Edinburgh Corporation and other interests regarding the site of the Scottish National Library buildings; and will he make a statement as to the present position, indicating the estimated cost to the Treasury and the probable date on which building may be expected to commence?

The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Lansbury)

I have no responsibility for the determination of the site for the Scottish National Library. This rests with the trustees at the library, who have decided that the new building shall be on the site of the Sheriff Court House. The roughly estimated cost of the first portion of the building is £178,000, but it is impossible to say, at the present time, when the site will be available for building purposes.

Mr. MATHERS

Is my right hon. Friend exercising any influence or has he exercised any influence to compel the erection of the Scottish National Library on the George IV Bridge site, and is he preventing consideration of any other site?

Mr. LANSBURY

I have no responsibility, and therefore it is impossible to exercise any authority over the Commissioners, who have the right to do just as they please.

Mr. ERNEST BROWN

Is not the right hon. Gentleman responsible for the Sheriff Court, if that building has to be removed and, therefore, is not that question bound up with the question of the site of the Scottish National Library? Is it not a fact that if the Sheriff Court building is demolished and another building put up on another site, it will mean a difference, in the cost to the community, of something like £86,000 more?

Mr. LANSBURY

That has nothing to do with the question which I have been asked. That question was whether I am exercising any pressure on the Commissioners as to where the Library is to be situated. I am doing no such thing. All I am interested in is this—that if the Library is to go where it has been agreed that it should go, on the site of the Sheriff Court building, then the Office of Works must provide another site for the Sheriff Court building.

Mr. BROWN

Is the right hon. Gentleman, therefore, not responsible for the whole project? [Interruption.]

70. Mr. MATHERS

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he has considered representations sent to him regarding the Scottish National Library, showing how the required buildings may be erected on a site to the east of Parliament Square, Edinburgh, more quickly than on the proposed George IV bridge site and at considerably less cost; and will he state his attitude towards such proposals?

Mr. LANSBURY

I have received no representations of the nature indicated by my hon. Friend in the first part of the question, and the second part does not, therefore, arise.