§ Sir J. Duncanasked the Minister of Works whether he will make a statement about the scheme for providing additional accommodation in the roof space over the Committee rooms upstairs.
§ Lord John HopeThe cost of this scheme was thought likely to be of the order of £300,000 and funds were provided in the Estimates to enable the work to be started this month. Now that the full scope of the scheme is known and further consideration has been given to the interruptions to the work which will be inevitable while Parliament is in Session, the provisional estimate has been increased to nearly £500,000.
The House is aware that my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is taking steps to limit future capital investment in the public sector to a level which will not overstrain our resources and he has therefore proposed to me, and I have agreed, that this roof space scheme should be postponed. I am sure that the House will agree that in present circumstances this is the right decision. The other recommendations of your Committee on Accommodation for providing additional accommodation for Members will not be affected by this decision, and the Government accepts them.