§ 11. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Works what repairs are being made to the clock tower in the Palace of Westminster; what the cost will be; and for how long the scaffolding will have to be in position.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. J. R. Bevins)The work consists of repairs to the stonework and the roof, reglazing three of the clock faces, and overhaul of the clock 1715 mechanism. The estimated cost is £40,000 and the scaffolding will be up for about 18 months.
It will be necessary to close the Tower to hon. Members and to the public from the beginning of the Easter Recess. The clock itself will be stopped for about two months in 1956.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs this not a long time for Big Ben to be in splints? Is it necessary for this scaffolding to be erected all that time in order to carry out the repairs? If the roof has to be repaired, cannot that be done on top instead of from the bottom?
§ Mr. BevinsI am afraid that it is not quite so simple as that. The scaffolding has to be taken through the Tower as well as erected on its exterior. When we discover how much work has to be done to the stonework, it may be that we shall be able to complete the work in less than 18 months, but it is doubtful.
§ Mr. ErrollCan my hon. Friend say whether the scaffolding work was put out to private tender?
§ Mr. BevinsNo, Sir. In the Palace of Westminster the Ministry uses its own scaffolding.