HC Deb 24 November 1947 vol 444 cc1582-3
34. Mr. Lever

asked the Minister of Works the purposes for which the premises at Royal Exchange, Manchester, in respect of which a licence for £171,300 has been granted are to be used, how much of the sum is in respect of the restoration of shop facilities in the building and which department of the Manchester Corporation, and in what terms, recommended the granting of this licence; and whether he will consider ordering that the undertaking of this work be postponed.

Mr. Key

The licence in question represents the first stage in the complete reconstruction of the northern half of the Royal Exchange, Manchester, and such accommodation as is made immediately available will be used for shops and storage purposes. Most of the sum involved at this stage is for the general structural work and I could not, without detailed inquiry, estimate how much should reasonably be attributed to shop facilities. There was no formal recommendation by the Manchester Corporation but the application was supported by the Town Clerk. The future of this undertaking is being considered in the light of the change of circumstances since the licence was granted.

Mr. Lever

Is the Minister aware that, far from supporting this application, the Manchester Corporation and, indeed, the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Manchester are outraged that a licence of this kind has been given for the purpose of providing shops and storage accommodation; and that is only the beginning of the whole operation of restoration?

Mr. Key

The necessary medium of communication between my Department and the Manchester Corporation is through their Town Clerk. When their Town Clerk supports an application I take it as a necessary consequence that it has been supported by the Corporation.

Mr. J. Lewis

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in a similar case at Bolton where the local authority objected through its Town Clerk, the Ministry of Works still did not withhold the granting of the licence?

Mr. Key

That is an entirely different question and an entirely different attitude. I cannot in all cases accept that the local authority are the determining factor in the carrying out of any particular building operation. I must reserve to the central Department the power of looking at things from a national and not a local point of view.