§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Public Building and Works why the estimated cost of alterations to the Ambassador's residence and erection of Embassy offices in Buenos Aires has increased from £300,000 to £575,000; and whether he will now abandon, defer, or scale down the project.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe rise in cost reflects in the main rapid rises in building costs in the Argentine. The alterations to the residence are complete. The timing of the office project is being reviewed but in any case expenditure on the offices this year will be limited to £100,000.