§ 28. Colonel Wedgwoodasked the First Commissioner of Works what proportion of the hotels taken over by the Government are as yet being used by evacuated Government Departments; and whether, in the interests of economy, and in view of the immunity so far from air attack, he will now return unused hotels to their owners?
§ The First Commissioner of Works (Mr. Ramsbotham)Some of the hotels taken over are at present occupied and it is probable that others will be brought into use in the near future, but I do not think it would be in the public interest for me to give the precise figures. All these hotels are required as an insurance for the continuous working of Government Departments under any circumstances. It 859 would not be prudent at this stage to rely on the immunity from air raids to which the right hon. and gallant Member refers. I regret accordingly that I am unable to release at the present time the hotels which have not yet been occupied.
§ Colonel WedgwoodWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us how much longer this waste of public money is to go on?
§ Mr. RamsbothamThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman refers in his question to immunity so far from air attack. If he will tell me how much longer this immunity is going to last, I can adjust my precautions accordingly.
§ Mr. John MorganMay I ask whether any of these hotels are being detained for the service of Members of Parliament in the event of an emergency, and could we not do without them?
§ Mr. Herbert MorrisonWill the right hon. Gentleman keep. in mind, in taking these hotels for the requirements of Government Departments, that some of them are quite likely to be urgently required for handicapped children who have been evacuated from the cities to various parts of the country?