HC Deb 07 May 1963 vol 677 cc210-1
12. Mr. Goodhew

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what progress has been made in the design of new Government buildings for Bridge Street and Parliament Street, Westminster.

Mr. Rippon

Sir William Holford is engaged on an appreciation of the site and an outline plan for its development.

Mr. Goodhew

I thank my right hon. Friend for that news, which will be welcome to all hon. Members. Can he tell us whether some sort of design will be available at an early stage for hon. Members to see?

Mr. Rippon

I hope that Sir William Holford's outline proposals will be ready during the summer. I will, of course, keep the House fully informed of the way in which this is developing.

Mr. C. Pannell

Will the right hon. Gentleman represent to the Leader of the House, and, if necessary, to the Prime Minister, the necessity of setting up, in co-operation with Mr. Speaker, an accommodation committee—a committee of Members of the House—so that we shall not be faced in the end with a building that we do not like and accommodation not suitable to us? Could not we have a committee of Members of this House to watch over the building of this Parliamentary precinct, in exactly the same way as we had a committee set up under Lord Winterton during the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, after it was bombed? I am sure that he will be seized of that.

Mr. Rippon

I shall convey the hon. Gentleman's views to the appropriate quarters. I am sure that we are all aiming at the same objective.

Sir G. Nabarro

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the archaic practice of Members of Parliament having to dictate correspondence to secretaries seated at their elbows, who might usefully be replaced by dictating machines, installed at Government expense, in each room used by Members for dictating in such a new building?

Mr. Rippon

I shall consider that.