HC Deb 02 May 1958 vol 587 cc68-9W
Mr. M. Lindsay

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the cost of the British Pavilion at the Brussels World Fair.

Mr. Ian Harvey

The cost of United Kingdom Government participation in the Brussels Exhibition is about £500,000, and it is estimated that the cost to British Industry will be about £2½ million. As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade said on 6th March, no complete figures are available of the amount being spent by private exhibitors.

Mr. M. Lindsay

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will represent to Sir John Balfour the desirability of the British Pavilion at the Brussels World Fair staying open after 7 p.m. in conformity with other principal nations.

Mr. Ian Harvey

No. The United Kingdom Commissioner-General considers that there has so far been no evidence to show that, if the United Kingdom Pavilions were kept open later, the resulting number of visitors would justify the additional expense which the extension of hours would involve. In this contension he is supported by the management of the Industry Pavilion and individual exhibitors.

The arrangement with regard to the times of opening and closing the United Kingdom Pavilions was made on the basis of the Belgian decision to close their own section at 6 p.m. on weekdays and as a result of an understanding between the United Kingdom and her neighbours at the Exhibition to conform to the Belgian practice. In addition to the United Kingdom Pavilions and those of the Belgian Government the majority of pavilions, including those of Argentine, Austria, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, the Vatican, Venezuela and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, observe these hours. From June to August the British Pavilions will remain open until 7 p.m. on weekdays and until 8 p.m. on Saturdays. It should be noted that the grounds of the British Pavilions remain open and that the two inns and the cinema which are in the grounds are open until 11.30 p.m. The Commissioner-General states that after 6 p.m. the main body of visitors to the Exhibition tends to be attracted to the Fun Fair and the Amusement Park.

In the circumstances, therefore, it is not proposed to vary the original agreement with regard to the opening hours of the British Pavilions unless in the weeks ahead conclusive evidence is forthcoming that there is a real public demand to visit the Pavilions at a later hour.