HC Deb 05 April 1950 vol 473 cc1190-2
46. Mr. Russell

asked the Lord President of the Council what quantities of bricks, cement, timber and steel will be used in the construction of the car park and funfair which are being provided in Battersea Park in connection with the Festival of Britain.

47. Mr. H. A. Price

asked the Lord President of the Council what quantities of materials, steel, cement, softwoods, and bricks, respectively, which could otherwise have been used for the construction of houses and flats, will be used in the South Bank scheme of the Festival of Britain.

Mr. H. Morrison

If the Festival is to open successfully on time the entire staff must be allowed to devote all their energies to the task which has been assigned to them with the approval of all parties in this House. I am accordingly not prepared to instruct them to divert their efforts to the compilation of detailed estimates of this character.

Mr. Russell

Is the right hon. Gentleman quite satisfied that the Battersea Park part of the Festival of Britain will in no way slow down the housing programme?

Mr. Price

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, while thousands of tons of cement are being poured into the scheme, the housing programme in Lewisham, in which he and I have an interest, is held up owing to a cement famine? Will he see that builders in Lewisham get cement?

Mr. Morrison

I do not think that is so. In any case, if the official Opposition wish to bring the Festival of Britain to an end—after all, it has big national purposes, with which we have all been associated—I think they ought to say so. In the meantime, I am entitled to the view that, because of the general spirit of the House in the last Parliament and the co-operation we achieved, the people who are running this Festival—which, I think, is of great national importance—ought to be protected against this sharpshooting?

Mr. Price

Since the right hon. Gentleman—

Mr. Speaker

We have had a lot of supplementaries on this Question.

Mr. Marlowe

On a point of Order. Questions Nos. 46 and 47 were answered together, Sir.

Mr. Speaker

I beg the hon. and learned Member's pardon. I did not notice that.

48. Mr. Russell

asked the Lord President of the Council to what extent it is proposed to hold demonstrations of British sports and games on the South Bank site during the Festival of Britain; what is the size of the ground on which they axe to be held; and how far representative sporting organisations were consulted before the ground was selected.

Mr. H. Morrison

The Festival Exhibition on the South Bank will deal prim- arily with British achievements in the fields of science, technology and industrial design. There will be no demonstration of British sports and games as such, but British sports equipment will, so far as possible, be shown in action. A lawn, measuring 130 feet by 50 feet, besides the Sports Section, will be used for these demonstrations.

Mr. Russell

Is it a fact that on this pocket handkerchief sized lawn it is proposed to hold demonstrations of Rugby, Soccer, Cricket and Archery? Does the right hon. Gentleman think that a ground of that size is suitable for those sports?

Mr. Morrison

I have never seen a pocket handkerchief of this size, but we are co-operating with the various sports organisations so that British sports can, play their part on this great national occasion.

Sir H. Williams

Will the right hon. Gentleman try to display the transmigration of a Communist into a nationalised Minister?

Mr. Haire

Will my right hon. Friend see that Chelsea football team, and not Chelsea Borough Council, take part in this Festival?

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