§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who has stayed in his official London residence since 1 May 1997. [24135]
§ Mr. Robin CookThe public rooms at 1 Carlton Gardens are used for a variety of official business. I have a private flat at the top of the building in which no official guests have stayed since 2 May.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what improvement works are planned for his official London residence; and what is the estimated cost of each item. [24136]
§ Mr. Robin CookThe exterior paintwork of 1 Carlton Gardens was refurbished over the summer at a cost of £45,000. The decision to undertake this work was made in early 1997 under the previous Government.
The FCO are obliged under the terms of the lease from the Crown Estate to maintain the building according to a set timetable and strict standards and to comply with statutory requirements in respect of its Grade I listing status.
537WThe budget inherited from the previous Government included provision for £70,000 for internal redecoration. None of this has been spent and there are no current plans for internal redecoration.
Preliminary work is currently in hand to bring the ventilation of the gas fires in the building into line with recent statutory safety legislation. Costs are not yet available for this work. There are no other plans for improvement works.