§ 39. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Public Building and Work what price per square foot is being paid by way of rental for the additional 136,000 square feet of office space rented by his Department; for what purpose this extra space is required; and what steps have been taken to consider alternative accommodation outside the central London area.
§ Mr. SharplesI presume the accommodation the hon. Member has in mind is Cardinal House, Farringdon Road, and Capitol House, Winchmore Hill, which were mentioned in a recent Press statement by the Development Company. The larger hiring, Cardinal House, is required by the Postmaster-General to house the Overseas Telecommunications Service in London. The accommodation in Capitol House, which is outside the central London area, is required for local offices of the Inland Revenue Department and for a few local staff of other Departments. I am unable to give information about the rental as it is not our practice to make public the terms of leases.