HC Deb 28 June 1955 vol 543 cc170-1
2. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Works what decision has been reached in the consideration given to the proposal to move the statue of Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst to another site; and what objections he has received to the moving of the statue.

4. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Works when it is proposed to move the sculptured group, Burghers of Calais, so that the public may view it more easily; and what consideration he has given to the desirability of also moving the statue of Mrs. Pankhurst to a better point of vantage.

14. Mr. Grimond

asked the Minister of Works if he has reached a decision on the new site of Mrs. Pankhurst's statue.

Mr. Birch

There has been general agreement for a long time that the Burghers of Calais are badly sited. A new design has been prepared for Victoria Tower Gardens. This has been approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission. It is proposed to move the Burghers of Calais to a more central situation and put them on a lower plinth. The central shrubbery will be removed and the statue of Mrs. Pankhurst placed in a new setting further south in the gardens. I consider that this is a better setting for the statue. Some opposition has been expressed by women's organisations to the statue being moved. I have discussed the scheme with the Suffragette Fellowship and done my best to remove their apprehensions. A model and drawings illustrating the scheme are in the Library.

I hope work can start in the autumn.

Mr. Dodds

While wishing to avoid stirring up any unnecessary anger in the Press, may I ask the Minister if it is not a fact that the new site for the statue is much more prominent than the old one? Although it is further away from the building, should not the women who pay homage to Mrs. Pankhurst be pleased that it can now be seen more advantageously by the public?

Mr. Birch

That is my opinion. I went round the site with the Suffragette Fellowship, and I do not think they really disagreed that the site proposed was a better one, though there was a sort of metaphysical objection in that it is 40 or 50 yards further away from the House of Commons. I think that women, having won their battle so decisively, can now afford to be generous.

Dr. Stross

Would it be fair to say that, if the statue of Mrs. Pankhurst remains where it is today, after the removal of the Burghers of Calais to a more central position it would tend to overshadow it, and is it not desirable, for that reason alone, to provide a better place for it? Secondly, may we have an assurance that this work, so long promised, will be carried out this year?

Mr. Birch

The hon. Gentleman is perfectly right. If we do anything about the Burghers of Calais, we must also do something about the statue of Mrs. Pankhurst, or the whole thing is thrown out of proportion. I have money in this year's Estimates for redesigning the Victoria Tower Gardens, and this work will go ahead.

Mr. Grimond

As part of the uneasiness among women's organisations is lest the statue of Mrs. Pankhurst be moved yet again, may I ask for an assurance that this is the final resting place for her statue?

Mr. Birch

I cannot bind succeeding Governments, but I have given the most categorical assurance to the Suffragette Fellowship that there is no intention of any kind of moving the statue again.

Mrs. Mann

Is the Minister aware that only two days ago I had an objection from the women mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman, and that they are still dissatisfied? They do not like the idea of this noble lady being pushed around because of the Burghers of Calais, and they wish to have a definite assurance that there will be no more pushing around of Mrs. Pankhurst.

Mr. Birch

I have given that assurance in as categorical terms as are open to me to give.