§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Minister of Labour if he can state the cost of the 1159W site and premises appertaining to his Department, and situate in a former market garden in the parish of East Sheen whether any addition to the Department's buildings there has been ordered or completed since the date of the Armistice; and, if so, at what cost; and on what ground this site was originally selected as suitable for a large Government office?
§ Sir ALFRED MONDAssuming that the hon. Member refers to THe building at Kew, known as the Claims and Record Office of the Ministry of Labour, the cost of the site was £5,700, and of the building erected prior to the date of the Armistice, £90,000. Since that date an extension has been made at a cost of, approximately, £42,500. The site was originally selected because it was the cheapest available, and I may add that my right hon. the Minister of Labour informs me that the offices are considered quite satisfactory for the purposes of his Department and that he has received no complaints in respect of them.
§ Sir W. BULLasked the Minister of Labour how sally employés. male and female, respectively, arc engaged on the work done in the Labour Ministry's premises in the parish of East Sheen; whether lie is aware that the roads giving access to these premises are not used by any public conveyances -for passengers, with the consequence that all the employés have to reach their place of work on foot or on bicycles in all weathers; and if lie will negotiate with some suitable transport undertaking, or Government Department that owns suitable transport facilities, to provide covered vehicles at least for the female portion of the East Sheen staff at the hours when they reach and leave the Department's premises there, so that they may be conveyed to the nearest regular lines of traffic?
§ Sir R. HORNEI assume that the hon. Member refers to the Claims and Records Branch of the Ministry of Labour at Kew, at which are kept the records of all the claimants in the United Kingdom. If so, the number of staff there employed is 350 men and 1,237 women. I am afraid I cannot adopt the suggestion made in the last part of the question; but. I would remind the hon. Member that, though the premises are not directly situated on the route of any public passenger conveyances, the locality is excellently served by trains, trams, and omnibuses.