§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper, and to apologise for the misprint on the Order Paper of 17th instead of 7th February.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when, in fulfilment of the undertaking given in this House on 7th February (Official Report, col. 925) by Lord Winterbottom, it is intended to start work on rehabilitating Wellington Barracks.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the contract providing for the rehabilitation of the facade block of Wellington Barracks has been let, and the site was handed over to the contractor on 3rd July. Noble Lords may also wish to know that 2 my honourable friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army, is today making the following Statement in another place:
"I am pleased to announce that it has now been decided to proceed with the plans approved in 1972 to rebuild Wellington Barracks in its entirety. Work will proceed concurrently with the current contract to rehabilitate the façade block and will be spread over the years up to 1983–84."
§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord not only for the manner, as is customary, but still more for the subject matter of that Answer.