§ 71. Mr. Pickthornasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the cost, respectively, of buying and adapting Sherwood Lodge; and how many workers will be accommodated there.
§ Mr. S. Shephard79, 80 and 81. asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) the number of bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, joiners and painters who have been, or are being, employed at the National Coal Board's area headquarters at Sherwood Lodge, Nottinghamshire;
(2) how much linoleum has been ordered for covering the floors at Sherwood Lodge, Nottinghamshire, the new area headquarters of the National Coal Board;
(3) the cost of altering and decorating the interior of Sherwood Lodge, Nottinghamshire, recently acquired for the accommodation of the National Coal Board officials.
§ Mr. ShinwellI have no information as to the purchase price of Sherwood Lodge for use by the East Midland Division of the National Coal Board, nor of the number of workpeople employed on the alterations, nor of the quantities of materials used, nor of bow many staff it will accommodate. It is not part of the functions of my Department to provide office accommodation for the National Coal Board, my Department's responsibility being confined to the authorisation of repairs and alterations to adapt accommodation for the use of the office staff engaged upon the administration of mining operations in the East Midlands coalfield. The cost of the adaptations amounted to £3,820. Neither the purchase price nor the cost of the adaptations is borne by the taxpayer.
§ 95. Mr. Pickthornasked the Minister of Fuel and Power in what circumstances, and for what reasons, the National Coal Board has bought the largest nursing home in Doncaster; whether it is to be continued as a nursing home; whether he is satisfied 201W that the town and district are well supplied with hospital and nursing home accommodation; and whether the medical profession, and others in the district, had every normal opportunity of bidding for this nursing home.
§ Mr. ShinwellI have no information about the alleged purchase of a nursing home by the National Coal Board in Doncaster, nor have I received any representations about it from other sources.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the peak number in any one week and the weekly average of men and women employed recently at the Sherwood Lodge divisional headquarters of the National Coal Board; and give details of the numbers of specialists employed as bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, joiners and painters.
§ Mr. ShinwellI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Mr. Pickthorn).
§ Sir W, Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) if, in order to allay public criticism, he will give an assurance that the contractors and others recently employed at Sherwood Lodge, near Nottingham, the regional offices of the National Coal Board, complied in every respect with the conditions attached to building licences, Note E and Note F, C.L. 1138 (s) (*5943);
(2) why, in view of Ministry of Health circular 54512, Repairs on Homes, of December, 1946, priority was given for repairs to Sherwood Lodge, the headquarters of the National Coal Board, near Nottingham.
§ Mr. ShinwellThis work was authorised by my Department and was not therefore governed by the circulars referred to.