HC Deb 23 July 1958 vol 592 c578

Lords Amendment: In line 46, at end insert: Provided that this subsection shall not apply as respects the functions of the Minister of Works in relation to the maintenance of the Wellington Arch and the Marble Arch, and, subject to the provisions of this Act, that Minister shall continue to exercise those functions notwithstanding that the land forming the sites of the said Arches has ceased to form part either of Hyde Park or the Green Park.

Mr. Nugent

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The two arches, that is, Marble Arch and Wellington Arch, will in future be outside the Royal Parks when the total scheme is completed. The Amendment does no more than ensure that, even though they are outside the Royal Parks, the Minister of Works will still be responsible for their maintenance and care.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

The Bill has now been before the House for a considerable period, and throughout that time it has been perfectly well known to every hon. Member that the arches would be outside the Royal Parks once the Bill was on the Statute Book. Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell us how it is that the Government have realised that only belatedly and have only now taken steps that should obviously have been taken at a much earlier stage?

Mr. Nugent

It would be very difficult for me to say how it is that every point which may appear here escaped our attention before. It is quite obvious that these arches would be outside, and equally obvious that they should be left in the care of the Ministry of Works. That was always the intention. But that point had not been picked up until these deliberations were proceeding in another place. It was picked up there, and we have now been able to deal with it, and I hope that the House will agree that we have done so in a sensible way.

Question put and agreed to. [Special Entry.]