§ LORD REDESDALEgave Notice that on an early day he would call attention to 979 the state of the new Government Offices in Downing Street. Notwithstanding their immense size, he was told that those at present built comprised only the India Office and Foreign Office; and this suggested that either the number of officials had been enormously increased, or that the buildings were too large. He proposed to inquire what were the facts in this respect, and also to draw attention to the little now being done towards the completion of the buildings, having regard to the immense sums paid for the site, and the large rents paid for temporary offices. He thought that if we were to have new offices the sooner they were supplied the better. He had heard that it was intended to pull down the Colonial Office before the new offices were built. He hoped that would not be done, as it would involve a wanton and unnecessary expense, and be attended with great inconvenience, arising from removal of papers and other circumstances. Another question which he wished to ask was this—whether any plan had been devised and submitted to Government for the connection of the present buildings belonging to the Privy Council Office, which faced Whitehall and ran partially along Downing Street, with the new buildings, which were in a different line, and with which, it seemed to him, it would be very difficult to establish such a connection? And then he wished to know how much of King Street lying in front of the new offices it would be necessary to purchase and to pull down. That he might be in order in putting these questions, he would move for a Return of the property purchased in King Street by Parliament.