§ Sir G. Nicholsonasked the Prime Minister whether he has yet taken a decision about the reconstruction of numbers 10, 11 and 12 Downing Street.
§ The Prime MinisterAlthough there is no immediate cause for alarm, the condition of the houses, Nos. 10, 11 and 12, in Downing Street is deteriorating. It has, therefore, been decided that the work of reconstruction, on the lines recommended by the Crawford Committee on the Preservation of Downing Street, should be put in hand as soon as possible. Preliminary planning is now well advanced and work is due to start at the beginning of the Summer Recess in 1960. The task is expected to take about two years to complete, and while it is in progress Admiralty House and adjoining buildings will be used.
As recommended by the Crawford Committee, the reconstruction of the Treasury buildings in Whitehall will be undertaken simultaneously with the Downing Street work. The combined cost of the work on the Downing Street houses and the Treasury is thought likely to be of the order of £1,250,000. Proposals will be laid before the House for the necessary financial provision to be made in the financial year 1960–61.