§ 39. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Works in how many of the licences granted in London during the past year for Government office accommodation he has decided that building will not be proceeded with; and what is the total value of licences so deferred.
§ Mr. StokesNone, Sir. Once a licence has been granted and the developer has made his arrangements, I think it would be unreasonable to cancel it, save in the most exceptional circumstances.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs it the intention of my right hon. Friend, despite the Prime Minister's warning yesterday that there will have to be some cuts in the civil building programme, that these licences, amounting to £3.8 million in the last year, are to be proceeded with, no matter what cuts are imposed in other directions?
§ Mr. StokesNo. That will, of course, be watched, but I do not propose at this moment to interfere with licences that have already been granted.
§ Miss BaconIs my right hon. Friend aware that his answer contradicts one which he gave me a few weeks ago in respect of a building in Leeds? On that occasion he said that although a licence had been issued, permission would not be granted to proceed with it.
§ Mr. StokesI think my hon. Friend is not quite correct. What I said was that although it had been agreed that this building should go up, no licence would be issued until the building situation with regard to housing had improved in Leeds. I do not deviate from that at all.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonI beg to give notice that, in view of the unsatisfactory state of affairs disclosed by my right hon. Friend, and the curious sense of priorities there seems to be in this direction, I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.