§ 2.47 p.m.
§ LORD TAYLORMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will arrange for a model or perspective drawing of the revised design of St. Thomas's Hospital to be exhibited in the Palace of Westminster.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH (LORD NEWTON)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Health has the Hospital Board's new proposals under consideration, and if it is decided to revise the design, he will arrange a display on the lines suggested by the noble Lord.
§ LORD TAYLORMy Lords, could the noble Lord say when it is likely that the Minister will come to a conclusion about the revision of the design? I was under the delusion that a decision had been made to abandon the design, a model of which has already been exhibited in the Palace of Westminster, and to substitute a new design.
§ LORD NEWTONNo, my Lords, I would not say that the noble Lord is under a delusion, but he is not quite right about this. Last week, the Board submitted for my right honourable friend's approval detailed proposals for the next stages of rebuilding and it is those proposals which my right honourable friend is now considering, in the context of operational efficiency and costs and also, of course, of any possible effect on the building timetable.
§ LORD TAYLORMy Lords, will the Minister also have regard to the great importance of this site æsthetically, as 1130 perhaps the most important site in London from the visual point of view.
§ LORD NEWTONYes, my Lords, if it is decided to revise the design, the local planning authority and the Royal Fine Art Commission will be consulted, as they were originally.