HC Deb 21 November 1966 vol 736 c925
23. Mr. Goodhart

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the cost of new construction by his Department in the Persian Gulf area in 1967–68 and 1968–69.

Mr. Prentice

I am not prepared at this stage to publish these estimates.

Mr. Goodhart

Is the Minister aware that the total cost of building for the Services in the Persian Gulf for the next two years will be double the cost of building for the Services in Aden in the past two years?

Mr. Prentice

I cannot comment on the figures. As the hon. Gentleman knows, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence decided not to give total expenditure figures for the next two financial years. In that context, I do not think that I can give an estimate for part of them. As for a comparison between Aden and the Persian Gulf, it would be more sensible to take a long-term view of comparative costs rather than isolate costs for these years in the Persian Gulf, when they will be above average.