§ 56. Mr. Errollasked the Minister of Works how many steel-framed buildings are under construction in London; what is the approximate total accommodation which will be so provided; and how these figures compare with those for steel-framed Government offices now under construction.
§ The Minister of Works (Mr. Key)Six steel-framed buildings licensed by my Department are at present under construction in London for use as private offices. The total area of office space provided will be about 146,000 square feet. This compares with 11 steel-framed buildings providing about 1,340,000 square feet of office space at present under construction for Government use.
§ Mr. ErrollIs it not a disgrace that far more Government building should be going on in London at the present time than building for private purposes?
§ Mr. KeyNo, Sir, because the building for Government purposes will release a very much larger amount of accommodation than is being here provided, accommodation which is under requisition at the present moment.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltDoes the Minister intend to convey that the Government are wasting space at the present time?
§ Mr. KeyNo, Sir. The answer will convey, to anyone who knows anything about the matter, that we have had to requisition buildings that were not the most suitable, in order that the job might be done at all.