§ 2.38 p.m.
705§ [The questions were as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government
- (a) Whether they are aware that, at the very time of the Minister of Health's announcement that only houses for agricultural and mining purposes would be built, and when there was a great shortage of building material for essential housing in the London district, two blocks of buildings were being started in Theobald's Road, opposite Gray's Inn Fields, W.C.
- (b) Can they say what is the estimated cost in rough figures of these buildings.
- (c) Are they being built subject to the ordinary restrictions and has a licence been granted for the supply of facilities, labour, steel, concrete, windows, etc.
- (d) Have His Majesty's Government any knowledge for what these buildings are going to be used, and can they say if there is any truth in the rumour that these offices are being built to house civil servants needed for future nationalization schemes.]
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, there are two office buildings in the early stages of erection on adjoining sites in Theobald's Road for which building licences to a total value of £256,000 have so far been issued to Belfort Trust Limited. The total estimated cost is £850,000. W.B.A. priority for certain materials has been granted for these buildings. Application has been made by the contractors for W.B.A. priority for labour and this application will be considered, but I cannot say whether it will be granted. These buildings, which will house about 3,000 staff, will be taken on lease by the Ministry of Works when completed. They will be used for the purpose of accommodating Government staffs, and so will enable requisitioned residential and office property to be vacated; but the question of the allocation of the accommodation has not yet been considered. Within the revised building programme, provision is made for agreed proportions of housing and other work to go on. These buildings have been properly fitted into the non-housing portion of the programme.
THE EARL OF AIRLIEI am grateful to the noble Lord for the reply he has given, and, arising out of it, may I ask 706 him, when he mentions the fact of permits for certain materials being issued, what about other materials? Does he know whether permits have been granted for them?
§ LORD HENDERSONAs I understand it, priority has been granted on certain materials. If W.B.A. priority is required for other materials they 'will have to make an application in the usual way, and that application will be dealt with in the usual way.