§ 46. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Prime Minister whether, in connection with his recent invitation for offers for the island site opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum, he is aware of the considerable trouble and expense to which various firms were put in submitting tenders and of their anxiety that it is intended to disregard these tenders and proceed to dispose of the site in another way; whether it is his intention to impose upon the prospective purchaser any conditions additional to those referred to in the invitation for offers; and whether he will arrange that in future tenders will not be invited for the purchase of any State landed property unless the proposed restrictions are disclosed to the tenderers and unless it is definitely proposed to dispose of the property by such means?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. and gallant Member would appear to be under a misapprehension. There has never been any intention of disregarding the tenders made for the island site; nor is it intended to impose upon the prospective purchaser any conditions additional to those referred to in the invitation for offers. The suggestion in the last part of the question merely describes what is in fact the existing practice, since without such disclosure there could be no firm basis of contract for the sale of the property.
§ Mr. BellengerOn whose advice was this method of sale adopted, and why was not the property put up for public auction?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Member had better put those questions down.