NEW GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

HC Deb 31 October 1934 vol 293 cc184-5

15. Mr. HICKS

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether it is proposed to proceed with the building of new Government offices in Whitehall?

The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)

The Government are not yet in a position to reach a decision whether or not to proceed with the building of new Government offices in Whitehall as the sketch plans are not completed, and some time must necessarily elapse before the various consultations which I undertook to institute can be effected.

Mr. HICKS

Will the First Commissioner agree to make the sketch plans available in the Library?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

Not until they have been approved, if and when they are approved. I am afraid I have got very considerable further negotiations both as to the site to be occupied and the character of the buildings before that day can arrive.

Mr. HICKS

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any idea whether it it likely to arrive, say, in three months?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

It is very difficult to say. I have had recent communications with the London County Council, the Fine Arts Commission and the architects. These matters are not easy.

16. Sir SAMUEL CHAPMAN

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is in a position to make any statement regarding the proposed new Government buildings in Edinburgh?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

The Government have decided in principle to proceed with the scheme for the proposed new Government buildings in Edinburgh. The design prepared by Mr. Thomas S. Tait, the architect appointed for the purpose, has been approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland and is about to be submitted to the Edinburgh Corporation for approval, in accordance with the terms of transfer of the site to the Government. I hope to be in a position shortly to instruct Mr. Tait to proceed with the necessary preliminaries so as to enable building operations to be commenced within the course of next financial year.