HC Deb 04 March 1958 vol 583 cc941-2
5. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

asked the Minister of Works the rent being paid by his Department for the Berkeley Square House premises occupied by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation; what rent is being asked for these premises after the present lease expires in 1959, and what that amounts to per square foot; and whether, to save Government expenditure, he will consider taking offices in a cheaper locality if necessary south of the river.

Mr. Molson

It is contrary to practice to give details of rents paid or asked for Government offices. To do so would not, for obvious reasons, be in the public interest. I do not intend to seek a new long-term lease of Berkeley Square House as I hope to find more economical accommodation.

Lieut. - Colonel Bromley - Davenport

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is entirely unnecessary to house Government Departments on the most expensive sites in London? Would not he agree that, like Shell and Unilever, they should go south of the river, where half the rates and half the taxes are paid? Surely what is good enough for those two great companies is good enough for a Government Department.

Mr. Molson

In answer to the first part of the supplementary question, the fact that I said I hoped to find more economical accommodation indicates that I am in agreement with the general views my hon. Friend has put forward. I am in entire agreement with him about the advantages and charm of a location on the South Bank. I do not know why he merely referred to Shell and other companies there, when my Department already occupies a site on the South Bank. I like it very much indeed, and I can commend it to my right hon. and hon. Friends.

Mr. Callaghan

Will the Minister assure us that any new premises he finds will be more conveniently situated for Whitehall and Westminster than is the present office block? Secondly, can he assure us that there will be a concentration of the headquarters instead of the present dispersal that exists because they are situated in Berkeley Square?

Mr. Molson

In seeking this more economical accommodation, those are two other advantages I shall certainly endeavour to achieve.