7. Sir J. Longford-Holtasked the Minister of Works what is the cost of maintaining the barricades on the Horse Guards Parade; and what is the cost of maintaining a permanent attendant to ensure that only those so privileged may use the Horse Guards Parade as a free car park.
§ Lord John HopeThe annual cost of the barriers is about £80 and the wages of the staff £1,440.
§ Sir J. Langford-HoltAs it is wrong that a public place like this should be fenced for the benefit of a few, will my right hon. Friend look into this whole question again, if to do nothing else than to save my continuing putting down Questions about it?
§ Lord John HopeMy hon. Friend is not accurate in saying that this is a public place. It is part of a Royal Park. On the question of expenditure, as I have pointed out to my hon. Friend before, what one is trying to do, and what one has to weigh in the balance, is to save the surface.
§ Mr. PagetCan the right hon. Gentleman say by what royal authority this particular place is preserved for a privileged few when the great majority of people need it? Considering the need for parking space in London, is not the argument about preserving this surface by not having cars parked there fatuous?
§ Lord John HopeNo it is not fatuous, because if Horse Guards Parade were thrown open to public parking all the time it would certainly be impossible to preserve the same type of surface. We would have to go to the bard macadamised type of surface.