§ Sir E Erringtonasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will now make a statement about the collapse of a partly completed officers' mess building at Stanhope Lines, Aldershot, in July.
§ Mr. RipponYes. Immediately the collapse occurred I asked the Building Research Station to make an independent report. In order that advantage can be taken of the lessons to be drawn from this failure, I am, with the agreement of my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Science, including a technical statement by the Building Research Station in a Return to the House today. The contractor has accepted responsibility. He is reconstructing the buildings without added cost to public funds, to a design approved by my professional officers.