§ Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) why the original estimate of £250,000 for the modernisation of sanitary and engineering services at Windsor Castle is now to be £400,000; and if he will detail the expenditure;
(2) if he will give details of the expenditure of £396,000 at Windsor Castle up to 31st March, 1963.
§ Mr. RipponThe expenditure of £396,000 has been incurred since 1956 on the modernisation of sanitary and engineering services at Windsor Castle. The cost of this work was provisionally estimated at £250,000 in 1956. The increase is due primarily to substantial rises in wages and materials costs since the work started, and to the structural and technical difficulties inherent in the repair and modernisation of old services in a 14th century building. The full extent of these could not be foreseen and became apparent only as work progressed. A general description of the work was given in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 15th May, 1962.