HC Deb 17 May 1966 vol 728 cc1126-7
Q11. Mr. Dickens

asked the Prime Minister if he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider the feasibility of building a new administrative capital, including new Houses of Parliament, at a suitable location north of the River Trent, and the consequential relocation of the present Parliamentary institutions and Government Departments.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir.

Mr. Dickens

Is my right hon. Friend aware that his Reply will cause much disappointment in the North, notably in Huddersfield? Is he further aware that it will cause grave disappointment to those of us in this House who had hoped to see new Parliamentary institutions designed to meet the needs of the twentieth century?

The Prime Minister

Huddersfield has had enough disappointment recently without going into this. I yield to no one in my loyalty to the North, but it would not facilitate either good Government, administration or Parliamentary proceedings if we were to tear up all our roots from here and rebuild on some lonely moor, whether in Yorkshire, Lancashire or any other part of the North.