HC Deb 24 June 1952 vol 502 c2026
28. Mr. Profumo

asked the Minister of Works the terms under which the Crown Film Unit Studios, Beaconsfield, were leased to his department; how much money was spent in equipping them for production immediately after the war; and whether the lease has now been disposed of.

Mr. Eccles

It is not usual to disclose the terms under which property is leased to my Department. About £115,000 were spent by Ministry of Works in equipping these studios. This included a substantial sum for making good dilapidations due to war time use. The Central Office of Information spent another £41,000 on various items of technical equipment. The lease has not yet been disposed of.

Mr. Profumo

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that everything possible must be done to try to recover this very heavy capital expenditure which had to be made in re-equipping these studios; and, in view of that, could he answer the last part of my Question and let me know a little more about that? Have any offers been made to his Ministry by firms to lease these studios; and if so, what were the terms, and will he do everything in his power to dispose of the lease so that he may recover the capital expenditure originally made on the studios?

Mr. Eccles

Up to the present we have had no firm offer for the lease.

Mr. Ernest Davies

Would not the best way of recovering the capital expenditure be to allow the Crown Film Unit to remain in production?