§ LORD REDESDALEasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether the buildings in Parliament Street, opposite the new Public Offices, would be taken down before the meeting of Parliament next year, and whether there was any intention of applying to Parliament next Session for power to purchase property in or adjoining Parliament Street, King Street, or Whitehall, for the erection of Public Offices?
THE DUKE OF ST. ALBANSstated, in reply to the first Question of the noble Lord, that the buildings in Parliament Street, opposite to the new Public Offices, would have to be taken down to enable the drainage and the front of the now Offices to be completed, and that they would be removed with that object before Parliament re-assembled. In reply to the second Question, he had been informed that there was no intention to apply to Parliament for power to acquire property south of the new Home and Colonial Offices, for the purpose of erecting Public Offices thereon. The Crown already possessed a large extent of land in the vicinity of the existing public buildings for the erection of Public Offices. The cost of acquiring property was very great, because compensation had to be paid to the occupiers as well as to the owners of the property, and the Crown ought not to incur such an expense as long as it had property of its own suitable for the purpose.
§ In reply to a further Question by Lord REDESDALE,
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, that the Government had no intention of applying to Parliament next Session for power to purchase property adjoining the new offices in Parliament Street, King Street, or Whitehall. It was a 1429 question whether any further improvements should be effected at the cost of the Imperial Exchequer or of the Metropolitan Board of Works.
§ LORD REDESDALEexpressed his regret that the improvement of Parliament Street would be only half effected.
§ House adjourned at half-past Seven o'clock, 'till To-morrow, Twelve o'clock.