§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the original cost to public funds of the construction of the Public Record Office at Kew; what part of that cost was represented by the expenditure on the air conditioning system; and what proportion of the original cost is the amount spent over the last five years on air conditioning.
§ Mr. ChopeThe total cost to public funds was £10.4 million at 1977–78 outturn prices of which the amount falling on PSA's works vote was £8.3 million. The air conditioning plant cost £1.2 million. Over the last five years some £1.2 million (at cash prices), has been spent on the maintenance and operation of the system. This includes £800,000 normal routine maintenance.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will set out in tabular form for each year since 1977 the amount of money spent on remedial works to the Public Record Office at Kew, indicating separately the amounts spent on air conditioning.
§ Mr. ChopeThe costs of remedial works, over and above normal routine maintenance, carried out by PSA at the Public Records Office at Kew since 1977 are:
Total cost £ Air conditioning costs only (assessed figures at cash prices £ 1977–78 4,400 1,700 1978–79 6,200 3,400 1979–80 21,300 0 1980–81 3,100 700 1981–82 6,400 2,000 1982–83 65,500 34,000 1983–84 121,000 62,000 1984–85 132,500 72,000 1985–86 270,000 220,000 630,400 395,800
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why £800,000 has been spent over five years on routine and regular maintenance to the air conditioning system of the Public Record Office at Kew; what proportion that represents of the original cost of its installation; and how it compares with the routine maintenance work on air conditioning in other Government offices over the same period.
§ Mr. ChopeThe air conditioning is particularly sophisticated. The £800,000 spent over five years on the92W routine and regular maintenance of the air conditioning system represents 66 per cent. of the systems original 1976–77 installation cost of £1,200,000.
Approximately £90,000 per annum (£450,000 over the five year period) is spent on a service contract to provide for the day-to-day operation of the plant and equipment, and for minor repairs and servicing of any items costing under £500. In addition, any repairs over that amount are paid for separately as are all specialist services including the regular inspection and sterilisation of the water distribution system and the deep cleaning of the humidification plant.
The national statistics compiled by the Property Services Agency do not separate the costs of air conditioning plants from other engineering services. For the building as a whole, however, over the past five years, maintenance work has averaged £8.95 per square metre per annum (at 1985–86 prices) against a national model cost for buildings of this type, age and construction of £14.64.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the independent review of the Public Record Office at Kew and as to the reasons given in the review for the closure of the premises to the public for three months in 1984.
§ Mr. ChopeI refer my hon. Friend to the statement on this issue made by the Lord Chancellor in another place on 27 March 1985 at column 1138. The building was closed as a preventive measure whilst the air conditioning plant was thoroughly checked, cleaned and treated with disinfectants. Most of the work recommended by the review has been completed.