§ 22. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will set up an independent committee to review the number of statues and memorials now on public view in London, and to make recommendations over the replacement of those which they consider no longer relevant or desirable in 1969.
§ Mr. LoughlinMy right hon. Friend has no evidence of any widespread feeling which would justify such an inquiry.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithCan the Parliamentary Secretary say for how many more generations we shall have to endure some of the unknown and unremembered people whose statues are now on display? Is it not time these statues were replaced by statues of some of the outstanding men and women of the last 100 years? Surely this would be more appreciated by the public.
§ Mr. LoughlinI accept that there is a school of thought that there ought to be a re-examination of our attitude to statues. But I do not think there is a wide demand for a review of the kind that the hon. Gentleman indicates. This is a complicated problem. It involves the approval of this House in some instances, it involves legal problems, and it involves an examination of the circumstances in which a statue was put up. It is a difficult problem—[Interruption.] I took it, Mr. Speaker, that the House wanted information.
§ Mr. LiptonWill my hon. Friend accept that there is no need for an inquiry? Does he agree that some of these monstrosities ought not to be replaced but should be removed once and for all? A lot of London is cluttered up with this rubbish.
§ Mr. LoughlinI think the House should clearly understand that many statues are not the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works but are the responsibility of local authorities in London.