HC Deb 28 July 1914 vol 65 cc1126-8W
Mr. HOARE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount that has been spent upon the construction and equipment of new Government offices since 1906?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

The expenditure on new Government offices defrayed from Votes accounted for by the Office of Works, and from the Vote for Public Buildings, Ireland, in each year since 1906–7, is shown in the following tables. The term "new Government offices" includes new offices and extensions of existing offices, but does not include improvement of accommodation unless accompanied by the erection or extension of buildings. Further, the term "office" has been interpreted as synonymous with "building,"i.e., a new Department, the staff of which has been housed in an old Government building, would not be included in the Return. The expenditure upon equipment of premises leased as offices is included in these cases where the rent of the premises is paid from one of the Votes mentioned above, but expenditure on the equipment of short leasehold premises used for Post Office purposes, where defrayed from the Post Office Vote, is not so included.

Expenditure on the following classes of buildings, though shown in the Annual Estimate presented to Parliament, is not included:—

Great Britain.—Royal Palaces, Osborne, Buildings in the Royal Parks, Houses of Parliament Buildings, Museums, Art Galleries and Scientific Buildings, Diplomatic and Consular Buildings, Factories (including the Royal Mint), Stores for Materials or for Distributing Purposes, Generating Stations, Recruiting Stations and Military Buildings, Historic Buildings and

Table I.
STATEMENT showing Expenditure defrayed by the Commissioners of H.M. Works, etc., on construction and equipment of new Government Offices, from 1st April, 1906 to 31st March, 1914 (exclusive of cost of acquisition of Sites, etc.).
Year. From Voted Funds. Expenditure under Special Acts. Grand Total.
Miscellaneous Legal Buildings. Revenue Buildings (including Post Office). Insurance. etc., Buildings. Public Buildings. Total. Public Buildings. Expenses. Land Registry New Buildings. Telephone Capital Account.
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
1906–7 8,926 265,492 24,767 299,185 219,205 4,278 7,939 530,607
1907–8 17,197 286,902 29,029 333,128 152,065 198 39,989 525,380
1908–9 25,101 338,053 48,566 411,720 82,763 25,755 520,238
1909–10 3,406 324,803 25,982 30,667 384,858 29,873 40,950 455,681
1910–11 1,579 279,817 27,072 61,231 369,699 33,842 94,274 497,815
1911–12 4,818 207,346 *35,616 59,822 307,602 22,379 3,320 116,572 449,873
1912–13 14,396 196,730 162,622 65,837 439,585 22,781 17,000 78,646 558,012
1913–14 7,975 190,915 68,706 111,605 379,201 72,665 10,697 81,738 544,301
Total. 83,398 2,090,058 319,998 431,524 2,924,978 635,573 35,493 485,863 4,081,907
* Includes expenditure amounting to £7,330 in respect of National Health Insurance Buildings, voted under "Public Buildings."

Table II.
STATEMENT showing Expenditure defrayed by the Commissioners of Public Works, Ireland, on the construction and equipment of new Government Offices, from 1st April, 1906 to 31st March, 1914 (exclusive of cost of acquisition of Sites, etc.).
Year. From Vote for Public Buildings, Ireland. Telephone Capital Account. Grand Total.
Miscellaneous Legal Buildings. Revenue Buildings including Post Office. Insurance, etc., Buildings. Other Public Buildings. Total.
£ £ £ £ £ £ £
1906–7 760 9,620 10,880 10,380
1907–8 4,796 14,708 1,864 20,868 20,868
1908–9 2,608 13,827 2,048 18,483 18,483
1909–10 5,559 18,843 1,815 26,217 1,610 27,827
1910–11 868 26,723 972 28,563 258 28,821
1911–12 1,908 24,076 6,642 32,626 453 33,079
1912–13 8,124 12,949 4,014 11,981 37,068 1,541 38,609
1913–14 6,212 10,689 1,059 10,351 28,311 1,915 30,226
Total 30,835 131,435 5,073 35,173 202,516 5,777 208,293

Ancient Monuments, Sheriff Court Houses in Scotland.

Ireland.—Royal Hospital, Royal Hibernian Military School, Coast Guard Stations, Ordnance Survey Buildings, State and Official Residences, National Museum, Royal Irish Academy and Royal College of Science, Police Barracks, Model and National Schools, University Colleges, Dundrum Asylum, Parks and Piers and Harbours.

No expenditure has been included in respect of the acquisition of sites.