HL Deb 09 February 1982 vol 427 cc168-9WA
The Marquess of Ailesbury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the late owner of Kingston Lacy House in Dorset was, as reported in the press, under an obligation to permit public access.

The Earl of Avon

The late owner of Kingston Lacy House received a number of Government grants for repair of the house. A condition of grant was that the house should be open to the public on specified days. However, this condition was not complied with after 1968 despite repeated representations by the Department of the Environment. The condition does not lapse with change of ownership and I am confident that the National Trust who now own the house will open it again to the public.