§ Captain CARR-GOMMasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the sanction of the Treasury is obtained by a Government Department seeking new accommodation; whether this has to be obtained before the application goes to the First Commissioner of Works; and whether the Commissioner of Works furnishes in detail the estimate of the cost of the buildings which he suggests for the purpose before any final decision is arrived at?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWDepartments are required to apply to the Office of Works (not direct to the Treasury) with regard to new works, structural additions, alterations, and hiring, in order that their applications may be considered by the technical experts and that estimates of cost may be prepared. In normal times, the previous authority of the Treasury is required before any service costing over £100 is commenced. This practice is observed at present in the case of services which are not urgent, and in the case of services which, though urgent, involve considerable cost or are likely to raise controversy or difficulty. In other urgent cases it has been decided that it is in the public interest that authority should be requestedex post facto when the Treasury have full opportunity of criticising what has been done and of making suggestions for the future. In addition, for the past year questions of accommodation for War Departments (in London, but not elsewhere) costing more than £1,000 per annum have been dealt with by a War Cabinet Committee with the First Commissioner of Works as Chairman; and premises are hired or requisitioned and fitted up on the decision of this Committee, without prior Treasury authority. In these cases also Treasury authority is requested ex post facto.
§ Captain CARR-GOMMasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Sir John Bradbury's Committee will make separate Reports with regard to each Government Department; and, if so, whether he will see that these Reports are brought without delay before the Cabinet Committee on Office Accommodation?
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§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt is open to the Committee under their terms of reference either to make a single Report covering all Departments or to report upon each Department separately, and I understand that they propose to adopt whichever method appears to them to be the more convenient and expeditious when they have completed the general survey of the whole subject-matter of their inquiries. I fully appreciate the importance of keeping the Cabinet Committee on Office Accommodation informed of the progress made and of the conclusions from time to time arrived at by the Committee.
§ Mr. WHITEHOUSEasked the First Commissioner of Works if it is contemplated to use the British Museum or any part of it for the work of Government Departments?
§ Sir A. MONDA number of empty galleries in the British Museum will, with the approval of the trustees, be utilised for two small non-combatant Departments. Since April, 1916, accommodation has been provided in the museum for certain noncombatant Government Departments.
§ Sir C. HENRYasked the First Commissioner of Works to what extent the County Hall is being utilised, the number accommodated on the premises, and whether it is intended to make arrangements so that, a further number may be housed at the County Hall?
§ Sir A. MONDA large portion of the County Hall is being prepared for official occupation. The work is being carried out in four sections. The first section, which is now practically ready for occupation.., will, it is estimated, accommodate a staff of 350, the second section 350, the third section from 500 to 600, and the fourth section from 500 to 600, making a total of from 1,700 to 1,900.
§ Captain CARR-GOMMasked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will have regard to the Reports of the Committee appointed by the Government to inquire into office staffs of Government Departments when lie is commandeering new buildings and allotting them to those Ministers which have applied for increased accommodation?
§ Sir A. MONDI will study the Reports with care when they are published, but 2111W it should be understood that I have no power to inquire into, or place any restriction on the extent or composition of the staffs of the Government Departments applying to me for increased accommodation.