§ 6. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Works what steps his Department takes to ensure that new industrial premises are used for the purpose for which a building licence has been granted.
§ Mr. StokesI have no jurisdiction myself over the use to which a building is put once it has been erected. New industrial premises are only licensed with the support of the appropriate Government Department and, with one exception, I am not aware of any recent case in which a building licensed for a specific purpose has been put to other uses on completion.
§ Mr. AlbuIs not my right hon. Friend aware that the buildings which derive from these licences are, in fact, sold for purposes other than those for which the licences were granted, very often, I am told, at a very large profit, sometimes double the value of the building?
§ Mr. StokesI have no evidence of that, but if my hon. Friend likes to send it to me I will certainly consider it. At present I have no authority.