HL Deb 11 February 1948 vol 153 cc991-3

3.0 p.m.

LORD BROUGHSHANE

My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will give particulars of the ultimate size, accommodation, purpose and estimated cost of the huge steel erection on the Thames Embankment to the east of Scotland Yard; when building operations will commence and what if any existing Government Departments are to be transferred to the new building when completed, and the estimated date of completion.]

LORD HENDERSON

My Lords, the steel frame now being erected on the Whitehall Garden site forms the first section of a block of Government offices. The complete building will eventually extend from Horseguards Avenue to Richmond Terrace. The first section to which the noble Lord refers, will provide approximately 270,000 square feet of office accommodation and the cost is estimated at £2,000,000. It is hoped to commence building operations almost immediately and to have the first section, which is intended to accommodate Board of Trade and Air Ministry staff, ready for occupation by February, 1951.

LORD BROUGHSHANE

Can my noble friend say whether the completion of this building at the present time is due to the schemes of the Government in connexion with the nationalization of industries, or is it merely for the re-housing on another site of Government offices at present housed elsewhere? And what will happen to the accommodation which will be released when this building is completed and occupied?

LORD HENDERSON

The building is directly related to the shortage of office accommodation in London. A considerable number of buildings, including residential accommodation, are still held on requisition for use as offices. Perhaps I may tell your Lordships that the Board of Trade staff in London are at present scattered over forty-three separate buildings, and 63 per cent. of the accommodation they occupy is held on requisition. The Air Ministry staff are spread over thirty-four separate buildings in London, and 44 per cent. of the office accommodation occupied by that staff is also held on requisition. I think that is part of the justification for the urgency of the need for supplying new office accommodation.

LORD BROUGHSHANE

Will the accommodation now occupied as Government offices be released and made available for the public in the shape of hotels, private houses, and so on?

LORD HENDERSON

The provision of new Government office accommodation will obviously release requisitioned premises for their normal purposes.