§ Sir R. Glynasked the Minister of Works what is the cost of the works under construction at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, in excess of the £1,343,375 which was the sum expended by the beginning of February, 1945; what is the estimated date when the work will be completed, and what proportion of this figure represents wages and salaries paid to the contractors for their workers.
§ Mr. KeyNo expenditure was incurred on Harwell works by February, 1945. The £1,343,375 was an estimate prepared late in 1946, on the information then available, of the total cost to date. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply considers that it would not be in the public interest to disclose the total estimated cost. The relationship of wages and salaries to the total cost varies widely over the many different jobs and to present it in the form of a percentage of the whole would involve a great deal of work and would be misleading. It is not possible at present to say when the work will be completed as developments are continuing on this novel project.