LORD BEDESDALEasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether, in the plans deposited for "the Admiralty and War Offices Rebuilding Bill," all the land proposed to be taken belonged to the Crown; whether it was intended to apply to Parliament next Session for a similar Bill; whether the lessees and occupiers of any property belonging to the Crown would not have to be compensated in like manner as other lessees and occupiers if their holdings were taken compulsorily; whether, if public offices were built on the Crown lands in the plan referred to, the income from the rents now paid on those lands would not be lost; and, whether the loss of such income ought not to be calculated in estimating the expense in like manner as if such lands had to be purchased from others; whether plans had been prepared, and whether it was intended to pull down the Admiralty.
THE DUKE OF ST. ALBANSreplied that the land proposed to be taken was not all Crown property, but the greater part of it belonged to the Crown. No determination had been arrived at respecting any application to Parliament next Session for a similar or any other Bill. There were but four lessees or occupiers of Crown land who would have to be compensated, the remainder of the houses on the Crown land being occupied by the Lords of the Admiralty, the Secretary of State for War, and the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works. The value of the Crown lands had been considered in the Estimate for the acquisition of the site for the proposed Admiralty and War Office. He need not say that when the houses were in the occupation of public Departments they would 1514 get no compensation for being removed. The sketch plans which were prepared would have required the existing Admiralty to be pulled down.
§ LORD REDESDALEurged the advantage of concentrating the Public Offices, which were now scattered over Pall Mall, St. James's Square, Whitehall Gardens, and other localities. He objected to the demolition of the Admiralty, and other buildings, which would afford accommotion for many Government purposes, and if the line of public buildings was not continued on the west side of Parliament Street a very unsightly effect would be produced.
LORD DENMANsaid, that the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees had, year after year, advised the purchase of the property in the neighbourhood of King Street, and at the present time the state of the space between the India Office and Westminster Abbey was most disgraceful. If Government did not at once purchase the property, and should they hereafter be obliged to buy it, he believed they would have to pay very heavily; because he had been credibly informed that a building lease had been granted by Eton College to an eminent firm on condition of laying out £80,000 upon the land, and most unsightly warehouses might be raised, and Government might have to pay merely for pulling them down. He earnestly hoped that the warnings of the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees might be attended to in time.