§ 3.11 p.m.
§ LORD ILFORDMy 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 what is the present situation with regard to the Whitehall Plan.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is considering the future of the Whitehall area in the light of the recommendations made by Mr. Harold Willis, Q.C., and in the context of the proposed new Parliamentary extension.
§ LORD ILFORDMy Lords, I am obliged to my noble friend for his Answer, which is encouraging but not sufficiently encouraging. May I ask him this question? Can he give any assurance that no final decisions will be taken on this plan until Parliament has had an ample opportunity of discussing it?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I will certainly invite my right honourable friend to consider that point.
§ Loan REIGATEMy Lords, would my noble friend suggest to his right honourable friend that it might be a good idea if the Whitehall Plan were extended to cover an area not very far away where a very bulky and startlingly ugly building, a model of which is now on exhibition upstairs, is probably going to be put up and which will be nearly as ugly as Queen Anne's Mansions which have just been pulled down?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I will not comment on the merits of any of the buildings that featured in this competition, but I did say that this enters into the considerations of my right honourable friend.
§ LORD GLADWYNMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether the Whitehall Plan involves the demolition of the present Foreign Office building?
§ LORD SANDFORDNo, my Lords, I cannot. As noble Lords know, we have 370 had Sir Leslie Martin's inquiry of 1965, Sir Robert Matthew's Inquiry of 1966, Mr. Willis's Inquiry of 1970 and the competition relating to the new Parliamentary building earlier this year. All these matters are interrelated.
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, will Her Majesty's Government bear in mind the façade of the present Foreign and Commonwealth Office (it used to be the Foreign Office), which is one of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's better elevations, when they are considering the future of the Whitehall Plan?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, indeed.
§ LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, may I ask whether the authorities are considering constructing a large underground car park under St. James's Park? Will they deny such rumours as it is one of the most beautiful parks in the world?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, That is quite another matter, with which I shall be happy to deal if the noble Lord will put down a Question.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Lord undertook to consult with his right honourable friend that before a decision was made Parliament will be consulted. Would the noble Lord have a word with his noble friend the Deputy Leader of the House to see whether time could be provided prior to the decision in order that the House could express a view?
§ LORD SANDFORDCertainly, my Lords.
§ LORD GORE-BOOTHMy Lords, may we take it that the Government have constantly in mind the importance of an early decision on this matter, from the point of view of the efficiency of Government right down to the most humble level?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords. The fact that we have had three inquiries and the competition, all requiring a decision, points I think to the necessity of arriving at a decision; but when a decision is reached, it is important that it should be the right one.
§ LORD ILFORDMy Lords, do not these questions show that it is essentially 371 desirable that decisions on this matter should be given at a fairly early stage?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords. My right honourable friend is very conscious of this.