THE NEW COVENT GARDEN MARKET (Hansard, 6 March 1963)

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (LORD ST. OSWALD)
My Lords, the noble Lord has asked three questions in one. I cannot accept the implication in the first question, that there is any doubt that a new Covent Garden Market will be built. The practical effect of Section 17 of the Covent Garden Market Act was and is that a new market must be built within seven years from March 26 1962, when the Covent Garden Market Authority took over the market. As I told your Lordships on November 15 last, in answer to a Question by the noble Lord, Lord Stonham, the Authority have commissioned a firm of professional consultants to advise on the siting of the market. I understand that the Authority now expect to receive the consultants' report by the end of next week. They will then wish to weigh all the factors and to discuss the matter with the interests affected. If their choice is outside the Covent Garden area, they will need to introduce a Bill to amend the present Act. Provided that all the interested parties agree quickly, the Authority would hope to introduce a Bill at the beginning of the next Parliamentary Session. That is the closest guidance I can give the noble Lord on his second question. It is clear both to him and to me that nobody can yet answer the third.

§ LORD STONHAM
My Lords, can the noble Lord confirm the accuracy of a statement which appeared in the Press at the weekend, that the experts have suggested that the two sites which have the greatest particular advantage are those at Beckton Road and at King's Cross; and that the site at Seven Dials is bottom of the list, because of its small size, its lack of railways and the conges- 406 tion it would cause in the area of central London? If he can so confirm, does he not agree that it would mean that two whole years and a great deal of money have been wasted because the Government rejected the advice of your Lordships' House more than a year ago?

LORD ST. OSWALD
My Lords, all I can confirm is that those appear to be the views of the Sunday Times.

§ LORD STONHAM
I asked the noble Lord, and I would ask him now to answer—this is a very circumstantial report in a very responsible newspaper—is it true or untrue (he must be aware) that this report reveals detailed investigation of five sites, of which two come top of the list, and one, the one proposed by the Government, right at the bottom as totally unsuitable?

LORD ST. OSWALD
My Lords, I thought I had explained that neither the Authority nor I have yet seen the report.