§ The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:
§ 70.MR. CoBB,—To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any decision has yet been taken on the proposal to hold an international exhibition in the United Kingdom in 1951 in central London.
§ At the end of Questions—
§ Mr. Marquand (Secretary for Overseas Trade)I would like to reply to Question 70.
The report of the Ramsden Committee was presented to Parliament on 27th March, and copies will be available for Members in the Vote Office today. The Committee recommended that an international exhibition should be held in London in 1951, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable.
The Government are impressed by the views expressed in that report and have decided to accept the recommendation. I am arranging for the necessary preparatory work to be put in hand. This will include the choice of a suitable site in London. As suggestions have been made that Hyde Park should be the site, I may as well make it clear at once that the Government are not prepared to see Hyde Park used for this purpose.