HC Deb 06 April 1976 vol 909 cc139-40W
Sir John Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has been able to fix a date yet for the cleaning of the outside of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Armstrong

No date has been fixed. My hon. Friend the then Minister of State, with responsibility for urban affairs told the House on 3rd July 1974 that this work, estimated at more than £2 million, would begin when expenditure of this order could be justified.

Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average temperature in the Committee Rooms of the House of Commons during the months of January, February and March.

Mr. Armstrong

The figures are: January, 69°F; February, 70°F; March, 69 °F.

Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of heating the Palace of Westminster; if he will express this in terms of annual heating costs per cubic foot; and how this compares with the annual heating costs per cubic foot of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Mr. Armstrong

The annual cost of heating the Palace of Westminster is £79,000. The other information requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.