§ LORD NORTONasked the Lord Privy Seal, Whether the new buildings on the west side of Westminster Hall are about to be carried out according to the last recommendation of the Committee, with a two-storied building; and whether it is to be battlemented or with a plain parapet; and what is to be done with the windows in the roof; also whether it is decided to postpone raising and remodelling the two towers on the north front? The noble Lord said that their Lordships, in common with the public, had had no opportunity of forming an opinion as to the reconstruction of the west side of Westminster Hall. They had doubtless seen the screens on the spot which had been very usefully set up, and among their Lordships were men eminently qualified to judge which of the two designs should be preferred. He wanted to know whether the higher or the lower screen was to be chosen; whether the flying buttresses which had so recently emerged from burial were to be buried again; whether the outline need be battlemented; whether the windows on the west side of the hall were to be darkened instead of being used as windows for the purpose of light; and whether the row of temporary skylights along the roof might not be enlarged in relief of the enormous space of roof, which was never intended to be so nakedly exposed?
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYsaid, he regretted that the noble Lord should have allowed himself to be demoralized by his former long experience in the House of Commons. That the noble Lord was so demoralized was shown by his having asked several Questions in addition to those which appeared in his name on the Notice Paper. The only answer he could give was to refer the noble Lord to the recommendations of the Committee; but he felt that this would be of no use, as they were already in the hands 1000 of noble Lords. As to the absolute and definite conclusion which the noble Lord in his speech had said the Government had arrived at in regard to this matter, he could only say that the Government had arrived at no conclusion, nor could they do so until the Report, the evidence, and the drawings were submitted, and had been placed in the hands of Members of both Houses; and when Members had had an opportunity of considering that Report and the drawings, the Government would endeavour to come to some definite conclusion as to what should be done.
§ LORD NORTONsaid, he must take exception to the suggestion that he had asked more Questions than appeared on the Paper.
§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSasked if an opportunity could be given to architects and others during the Recess of inspecting the model now in the Victoria Gallery?
§ VISCOUNT BURYobserved that the flying buttresses were in a position which necessitated their being repaired, and asked whether they would be allowed to remain as they were now for any length of time?
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYreplied that the Report of the Committee would be laid before Parliament almost immediately. The buttresses need not, therefore, be exposed for any considerable time; and in the meanwhile he should take care that they were preserved from the inclemencies of the weather. With regard to the model, he said he had no power to give admittance to the Victoria Gallery to anyone, whether qualified architects or not, to view the model; but he had no doubt that if application were made to the Lord Chamberlain he would afford facilities to architects and other artistic persons referred to to view the model during the Recess.