§ Sir N. Grattan-Doyleasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will immediately move to set up the Public Accounts Committee and to instruct them to examine, before public money is expended, the decision to take Berkeley Square House for the Air Ministry; to advise whether it might be preferable on safety and financial grounds to clear a suburban area and put up a specially designed building rather than take over existing accommodation in a fashionable district; and will he delay further negotiations until the committee has reported?
§ Sir J. SimonThe reasons for taking these premises were explained by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for the Chertsey Division of Surrey; I may add that the cost is approximately the same as that of the other headquarters accommodation already occupied by the Air Ministry. In these circumstances the First Commissioner of Works accepted the offer of the lease and entered into commitments in respect of the adaptations. These commitments will be provided for in a Supplementary Estimate for the Public Buildings (Great Britain) Vote next spring, but in view of the urgency of the need for the additional accommodation the Treasury, as frequently in similar urgent cases, have authorised the First Commissioner to proceed with the adaptations forthwith.
1975WI may add that I do not think that such an inquiry as my right hon. Friend suggests would be within the terms of reference of the Public Accounts Committee.