§ Q7. Mr. Kenneth Lewisasked the Prime Minister what plans he has for redecorating No. 10, Downing Street.
§ The Prime MinisterNone, Sir, apart from such maintenance as may be found necessary.
§ Mr. LewisIs the Prime Minister aware that it is more than usual when a new tenant comes into a house that he does a certain amount of redecorating, unless he thinks that his tenancy is somewhat insecure? Has the right hon. Gentleman read what was said by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Hogg) over the weekend that the Prime Minister's lot is a somewhat unhappy one? Does he recognise that if he wants to vacate office, my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition is very happy, and so is the country, that he should take over at the earliest possible moment?
§ The Prime MinisterThat was a very involved question. In the carrying out of decorations, I at any rate have to have some regard to the position of the taxpayer, but if it is of any comfort to the hon. Member I would say that there have been some minor decorations and alterations. A door has been put up to make it self-contained, a coat hook has been put up behind the bedroom door, the Tory election posters that were disfiguring my dining room have been taken down and the wall has been cleaned up, but this did not involve any cost to the taxpayer because it was a labour of love.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodWill the Prime Minister tell us whether the new door has been built to include or exclude the Paymaster-General?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is nice to get a crack out of the right hon. Gentleman that I did not read in last week's Spectator. I heard this question muttered by one of his right hon. Friends about three minutes ago, so, despite his long-range hopes of occupying this place, the question does not really arise.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan my right hon. Friend explain, as a matter of interest, and to provide Members with some information, why the other side should be 1069 interested in the decorations at Downing Street? They are not going to occupy it.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. One of the Prime Minister's responsibilities is not to answer what the other side is interested in.
§ Mr. ShinwellWho is to answer?
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that we had better stop interior decorating now.